Developing interactivity is effort and an investment. Most developers put up a simple loading screen, maybe some text like rotating tips, and a loading indicator. Until 2015 a patent on interactive loading screens may have made developers and publishers cautious and decide against developing interactivity.
High Hell, released in 2017, features fast gameplay, short levels, and interactive loading screens. (Linked Clip) (High Hell Steam page)
What’s the best kind of loading screen? Do you have examples of good or bad interactive loading screens?
They’re not interactive but Spec Ops: The Line’s loading screens stick out to be. They start out as pretty standard tips and lore info, but then starts giving you stuff like the definition of ptsd, a fun fact about increasing suicide rates in the military, or just telling you you’re not a good person. Occasionally the normal loading screen is entirely replaced with a ghostly image.
That sounds like great game design. Using the loading screen as an extension of the game direction and concepts, adding to it.