diff --git a/osu.Game/Localisation/PlayerLoaderStrings.cs b/osu.Game/Localisation/PlayerLoaderStrings.cs
index f9d6f80676..8b429de873 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Localisation/PlayerLoaderStrings.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Localisation/PlayerLoaderStrings.cs
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ Leaderboards may be reset.");
         public static LocalisableString QualifiedBeatmapDisclaimerContent => new TranslatableString(getKey(@"qualified_beatmap_disclaimer_content"), @"No performance points will be awarded.
 Leaderboards will be reset when the beatmap is ranked.");
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// "Loading paused..."
+        /// </summary>
+        public static LocalisableString LoadingPaused => new TranslatableString(getKey(@"loading_paused"), @"Loading paused...");
+
         private static string getKey(string key) => $@"{prefix}:{key}";
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/BeatmapMetadataDisplay.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/BeatmapMetadataDisplay.cs
index f1df01b743..8e82cce0aa 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/BeatmapMetadataDisplay.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/BeatmapMetadataDisplay.cs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ using osu.Framework.Allocation;
 using osu.Framework.Bindables;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Containers;
+using osu.Framework.Graphics.Shapes;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Sprites;
 using osu.Framework.Localisation;
 using osu.Game.Beatmaps;
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ using osu.Game.Beatmaps.Drawables;
 using osu.Game.Graphics;
 using osu.Game.Graphics.Sprites;
 using osu.Game.Graphics.UserInterface;
+using osu.Game.Localisation;
 using osu.Game.Resources.Localisation.Web;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.Mods;
 using osu.Game.Screens.Play.HUD;
@@ -32,6 +34,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
         private readonly Bindable<IReadOnlyList<Mod>> mods;
         private readonly Drawable logoFacade;
         private LoadingSpinner loading;
+        private Drawable blockingLoadLayer;
 
         public IBindable<IReadOnlyList<Mod>> Mods => mods;
 
@@ -46,6 +49,35 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
             }
         }
 
+        private bool userBlocked;
+
+        public bool UserBlocked
+        {
+            set
+            {
+                if (value == userBlocked)
+                    return;
+
+                userBlocked = value;
+
+                if (userBlocked)
+                {
+                    using (BeginDelayedSequence(500))
+                    {
+                        blockingLoadLayer
+                            // Slight delay to avoid this flashing briefly during multiplayer load and other scenarios where
+                            // load may be blocked for a short period.
+                            .FadeIn(300, Easing.Out)
+                            .Then()
+                            .FadeTo(0.6f, 1000, Easing.In)
+                            .Loop();
+                    }
+                }
+                else
+                    blockingLoadLayer.FadeOut(500, Easing.OutQuint);
+            }
+        }
+
         public BeatmapMetadataDisplay(IWorkingBeatmap beatmap, Bindable<IReadOnlyList<Mod>> mods, Drawable logoFacade)
         {
             this.beatmap = beatmap;
@@ -61,7 +93,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
         private StarRatingDisplay starRatingDisplay;
 
         [BackgroundDependencyLoader]
-        private void load(BeatmapDifficultyCache difficultyCache)
+        private void load(BeatmapDifficultyCache difficultyCache, OsuColour colours)
         {
             var metadata = beatmap.BeatmapInfo.Metadata;
 
@@ -117,7 +149,28 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
                                 loading = new LoadingLayer(dimBackground: true)
                                 {
                                     BlockPositionalInput = false,
-                                }
+                                },
+                                blockingLoadLayer = new Container
+                                {
+                                    RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both,
+                                    Alpha = 0,
+                                    Children = new Drawable[]
+                                    {
+                                        new Box
+                                        {
+                                            Colour = colours.PinkDarker,
+                                            Alpha = 0.5f,
+                                            RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both,
+                                        },
+                                        new OsuSpriteText
+                                        {
+                                            Anchor = Anchor.Centre,
+                                            Origin = Anchor.Centre,
+                                            Font = OsuFont.Style.Heading2,
+                                            Text = PlayerLoaderStrings.LoadingPaused
+                                        }
+                                    }
+                                },
                             }
                         },
                         versionFlow = new FillFlowContainer
diff --git a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PlayerLoader.cs b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PlayerLoader.cs
index d082ce6a57..d15b1a5a82 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PlayerLoader.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Screens/Play/PlayerLoader.cs
@@ -120,13 +120,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
             }
         }
 
-        private bool readyForPush =>
-            !playerConsumed
-            // don't push unless the player is completely loaded
-            && CurrentPlayer?.LoadState == LoadState.Ready
-            // don't push unless the player is ready to start gameplay
-            && ReadyForGameplay;
-
         protected virtual bool ReadyForGameplay =>
             // not ready if the user is hovering one of the panes (logo is excluded), unless they are idle.
             (IsHovered || osuLogo?.IsHovered == true || idleTracker.IsIdle.Value)
@@ -490,6 +483,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
             if (!this.IsCurrentScreen())
                 return;
 
+            MetadataInfo.UserBlocked = !ReadyForGameplay && CurrentPlayer?.LoadState == LoadState.Ready;
+
             // We need to perform this check here rather than in OnHover as any number of children of VisualSettings
             // may also be handling the hover events.
             if (inputManager.HoveredDrawables.Contains(VisualSettings) || QuickRestart)
@@ -654,6 +649,13 @@ namespace osu.Game.Screens.Play
 
             if (!this.IsCurrentScreen()) return;
 
+            bool readyForPush =
+                !playerConsumed
+                // don't push unless the player is completely loaded
+                && CurrentPlayer?.LoadState == LoadState.Ready
+                // don't push unless the player is ready to start gameplay
+                && ReadyForGameplay;
+
             if (!readyForPush)
             {
                 // as the pushDebounce below has a delay, we need to keep checking and cancel a future debounce