diff --git a/client/ClientCommandManager.cpp b/client/ClientCommandManager.cpp
index b260ff4fb..dc0984e43 100644
--- a/client/ClientCommandManager.cpp
+++ b/client/ClientCommandManager.cpp
@@ -389,7 +389,6 @@ void ClientCommandManager::handleDef2bmpCommand(std::istringstream& singleWordBu
 	std::string URI;
 	singleWordBuffer >> URI;
 	auto anim = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(AnimationPath::builtin(URI));
-	anim->preload();
 	anim->exportBitmaps(VCMIDirs::get().userExtractedPath());
 }
 
diff --git a/client/battle/BattleAnimationClasses.cpp b/client/battle/BattleAnimationClasses.cpp
index 19271b07c..8a98605f6 100644
--- a/client/battle/BattleAnimationClasses.cpp
+++ b/client/battle/BattleAnimationClasses.cpp
@@ -926,8 +926,6 @@ EffectAnimation::EffectAnimation(BattleInterface & owner, const AnimationPath &
 
 bool EffectAnimation::init()
 {
-	animation->preload();
-
 	auto first = animation->getImage(0, 0, true);
 	if(!first)
 	{
diff --git a/client/battle/BattleFieldController.cpp b/client/battle/BattleFieldController.cpp
index 9df03805b..5767f1385 100644
--- a/client/battle/BattleFieldController.cpp
+++ b/client/battle/BattleFieldController.cpp
@@ -128,18 +128,12 @@ BattleFieldController::BattleFieldController(BattleInterface & owner):
 	cellUnitMaxMovementHighlight = GH.renderHandler().loadImage(ImagePath::builtin("UnitMaxMovementHighlight.PNG"), EImageBlitMode::COLORKEY);
 
 	attackCursors = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(AnimationPath::builtin("CRCOMBAT"));
-	attackCursors->preload();
-
 	spellCursors = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(AnimationPath::builtin("CRSPELL"));
-	spellCursors->preload();
 
 	initializeHexEdgeMaskToFrameIndex();
 
 	rangedFullDamageLimitImages = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(AnimationPath::builtin("battle/rangeHighlights/rangeHighlightsGreen.json"));
-	rangedFullDamageLimitImages->preload();
-
 	shootingRangeLimitImages = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(AnimationPath::builtin("battle/rangeHighlights/rangeHighlightsRed.json"));
-	shootingRangeLimitImages->preload();
 
 	flipRangeLimitImagesIntoPositions(rangedFullDamageLimitImages);
 	flipRangeLimitImagesIntoPositions(shootingRangeLimitImages);
diff --git a/client/battle/BattleInterfaceClasses.cpp b/client/battle/BattleInterfaceClasses.cpp
index 69df2c11e..e8af74746 100644
--- a/client/battle/BattleInterfaceClasses.cpp
+++ b/client/battle/BattleInterfaceClasses.cpp
@@ -398,7 +398,6 @@ BattleHero::BattleHero(const BattleInterface & owner, const CGHeroInstance * her
 		animationPath = hero->type->heroClass->imageBattleMale;
 
 	animation = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(animationPath);
-	animation->preload();
 
 	pos.w = 64;
 	pos.h = 136;
@@ -413,7 +412,6 @@ BattleHero::BattleHero(const BattleInterface & owner, const CGHeroInstance * her
 	else
 		flagAnimation = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(AnimationPath::builtin("CMFLAGL"));
 
-	flagAnimation->preload();
 	flagAnimation->playerColored(hero->tempOwner);
 
 	switchToNextPhase();
diff --git a/client/battle/BattleObstacleController.cpp b/client/battle/BattleObstacleController.cpp
index 796e5c7d9..80ecacdf6 100644
--- a/client/battle/BattleObstacleController.cpp
+++ b/client/battle/BattleObstacleController.cpp
@@ -55,13 +55,11 @@ void BattleObstacleController::loadObstacleImage(const CObstacleInstance & oi)
 			auto animation = GH.renderHandler().createAnimation();
 			animation->setCustom(animationName.getName(), 0, 0);
 			animationsCache[animationName] = animation;
-			animation->preload();
 		}
 		else
 		{
 			auto animation = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(animationName);
 			animationsCache[animationName] = animation;
-			animation->preload();
 		}
 	}
 	obstacleAnimations[oi.uniqueID] = animationsCache[animationName];
@@ -87,8 +85,6 @@ void BattleObstacleController::obstacleRemoved(const std::vector<ObstacleChanges
 			continue;
 
 		auto animation = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(animationPath);
-		animation->preload();
-
 		auto first = animation->getImage(0, 0);
 		if(!first)
 			continue;
@@ -115,8 +111,6 @@ void BattleObstacleController::obstaclePlaced(const std::vector<std::shared_ptr<
 			continue;
 
 		auto animation = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(oi->getAppearAnimation());
-		animation->preload();
-
 		auto first = animation->getImage(0, 0);
 		if(!first)
 			continue;
diff --git a/client/battle/BattleProjectileController.cpp b/client/battle/BattleProjectileController.cpp
index 6c5854fc0..c81852446 100644
--- a/client/battle/BattleProjectileController.cpp
+++ b/client/battle/BattleProjectileController.cpp
@@ -193,7 +193,6 @@ void BattleProjectileController::initStackProjectile(const CStack * stack)
 std::shared_ptr<CAnimation> BattleProjectileController::createProjectileImage(const AnimationPath & path )
 {
 	std::shared_ptr<CAnimation> projectile = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(path);
-	projectile->preload();
 
 	if(projectile->size(1) != 0)
 		logAnim->error("Expected empty group 1 in stack projectile");
diff --git a/client/battle/CreatureAnimation.cpp b/client/battle/CreatureAnimation.cpp
index ae00aa515..8627ebfc7 100644
--- a/client/battle/CreatureAnimation.cpp
+++ b/client/battle/CreatureAnimation.cpp
@@ -202,10 +202,6 @@ CreatureAnimation::CreatureAnimation(const AnimationPath & name_, TSpeedControll
 	forward = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(name_);
 	reverse = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(name_);
 
-	//todo: optimize
-	forward->preload();
-	reverse->preload();
-
 	// if necessary, add one frame into vcmi-only group DEAD
 	if(forward->size(size_t(ECreatureAnimType::DEAD)) == 0)
 	{
diff --git a/client/gui/CursorHandler.cpp b/client/gui/CursorHandler.cpp
index 2052ea2c9..b09517344 100644
--- a/client/gui/CursorHandler.cpp
+++ b/client/gui/CursorHandler.cpp
@@ -53,9 +53,6 @@ CursorHandler::CursorHandler()
 		GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(AnimationPath::builtin("CRSPELL"))
 	};
 
-	for (auto & cursor : cursors)
-		cursor->preload();
-
 	set(Cursor::Map::POINTER);
 	showType = dynamic_cast<CursorSoftware *>(cursor.get()) ? Cursor::ShowType::SOFTWARE : Cursor::ShowType::HARDWARE;
 }
@@ -105,7 +102,6 @@ void CursorHandler::dragAndDropCursor(std::shared_ptr<IImage> image)
 void CursorHandler::dragAndDropCursor (const AnimationPath & path, size_t index)
 {
 	auto anim = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(path);
-	anim->load(index);
 	dragAndDropCursor(anim->getImage(index));
 }
 
diff --git a/client/mapView/MapRenderer.cpp b/client/mapView/MapRenderer.cpp
index 8c7509f80..7b97ec7fd 100644
--- a/client/mapView/MapRenderer.cpp
+++ b/client/mapView/MapRenderer.cpp
@@ -104,10 +104,7 @@ void MapTileStorage::load(size_t index, const AnimationPath & filename, EImageBl
 	for(auto & entry : terrainAnimations)
 	{
 		if (!filename.empty())
-		{
 			entry = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(filename);
-			entry->preload();
-		}
 		else
 			entry = GH.renderHandler().createAnimation();
 
@@ -253,7 +250,6 @@ uint8_t MapRendererRoad::checksum(IMapRendererContext & context, const int3 & co
 MapRendererBorder::MapRendererBorder()
 {
 	animation = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(AnimationPath::builtin("EDG"));
-	animation->preload();
 }
 
 size_t MapRendererBorder::getIndexForTile(IMapRendererContext & context, const int3 & tile)
@@ -315,9 +311,7 @@ uint8_t MapRendererBorder::checksum(IMapRendererContext & context, const int3 &
 MapRendererFow::MapRendererFow()
 {
 	fogOfWarFullHide = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(AnimationPath::builtin("TSHRC"));
-	fogOfWarFullHide->preload();
 	fogOfWarPartialHide = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(AnimationPath::builtin("TSHRE"));
-	fogOfWarPartialHide->preload();
 
 	for(size_t i = 0; i < fogOfWarFullHide->size(); ++i)
 		fogOfWarFullHide->getImage(i)->setBlitMode(EImageBlitMode::OPAQUE);
@@ -407,7 +401,6 @@ std::shared_ptr<CAnimation> MapRendererObjects::getAnimation(const AnimationPath
 
 	auto ret = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(filename);
 	animations[filename] = ret;
-	ret->preload();
 
 	if(generateMovementGroups)
 	{
@@ -629,7 +622,6 @@ uint8_t MapRendererOverlay::checksum(IMapRendererContext & context, const int3 &
 MapRendererPath::MapRendererPath()
 	: pathNodes(GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(AnimationPath::builtin("ADAG")))
 {
-	pathNodes->preload();
 }
 
 size_t MapRendererPath::selectImageReachability(bool reachableToday, size_t imageIndex)
diff --git a/client/mapView/MapViewCache.cpp b/client/mapView/MapViewCache.cpp
index 2bd21ce8d..8534e8a6c 100644
--- a/client/mapView/MapViewCache.cpp
+++ b/client/mapView/MapViewCache.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ MapViewCache::MapViewCache(const std::shared_ptr<MapViewModel> & model)
 	, terrain(new Canvas(model->getCacheDimensionsPixels()))
 	, terrainTransition(new Canvas(model->getPixelsVisibleDimensions()))
 {
-	iconsStorage->preload();
 	for(size_t i = 0; i < iconsStorage->size(); ++i)
 		iconsStorage->getImage(i)->setBlitMode(EImageBlitMode::COLORKEY);
 
diff --git a/client/render/CAnimation.cpp b/client/render/CAnimation.cpp
index b9b49d0c9..70f486886 100644
--- a/client/render/CAnimation.cpp
+++ b/client/render/CAnimation.cpp
@@ -187,50 +187,6 @@ std::shared_ptr<IImage> CAnimation::getImageImpl(size_t frame, size_t group, boo
 	return nullptr;
 }
 
-void CAnimation::load()
-{
-	for (auto & elem : source)
-		for (size_t image=0; image < elem.second.size(); image++)
-			loadFrame(image, elem.first);
-}
-
-void CAnimation::unload()
-{
-	for (auto & elem : source)
-		for (size_t image=0; image < elem.second.size(); image++)
-			unloadFrame(image, elem.first);
-
-}
-
-void CAnimation::preload()
-{
-	// TODO: remove
-}
-
-void CAnimation::loadGroup(size_t group)
-{
-	if (vstd::contains(source, group))
-		for (size_t image=0; image < source[group].size(); image++)
-			loadFrame(image, group);
-}
-
-void CAnimation::unloadGroup(size_t group)
-{
-	if (vstd::contains(source, group))
-		for (size_t image=0; image < source[group].size(); image++)
-			unloadFrame(image, group);
-}
-
-void CAnimation::load(size_t frame, size_t group)
-{
-	loadFrame(frame, group);
-}
-
-void CAnimation::unload(size_t frame, size_t group)
-{
-	unloadFrame(frame, group);
-}
-
 size_t CAnimation::size(size_t group) const
 {
 	auto iter = source.find(group);
@@ -270,4 +226,3 @@ void CAnimation::createFlippedGroup(const size_t sourceGroup, const size_t targe
 		image->verticalFlip();
 	}
 }
-
diff --git a/client/render/CAnimation.h b/client/render/CAnimation.h
index 9b31c6624..ce78b0e4d 100644
--- a/client/render/CAnimation.h
+++ b/client/render/CAnimation.h
@@ -59,19 +59,6 @@ public:
 
 	void exportBitmaps(const boost::filesystem::path & path) const;
 
-	//all available frames
-	void load  ();
-	void unload();
-	void preload();
-
-	//all frames from group
-	void loadGroup  (size_t group);
-	void unloadGroup(size_t group);
-
-	//single image
-	void load  (size_t frame, size_t group=0);
-	void unload(size_t frame, size_t group=0);
-
 	//total count of frames in group (including not loaded)
 	size_t size(size_t group=0) const;
 
diff --git a/client/widgets/Images.cpp b/client/widgets/Images.cpp
index 0f67251d7..14151c5fe 100644
--- a/client/widgets/Images.cpp
+++ b/client/widgets/Images.cpp
@@ -232,10 +232,6 @@ void CAnimImage::setSizeFromImage(const IImage &img)
 void CAnimImage::init()
 {
 	visible = true;
-	anim->load(frame, group);
-	if (flags & CShowableAnim::BASE)
-		anim->load(0,group);
-
 	auto img = anim->getImage(frame, group);
 	if (img)
 		setSizeFromImage(*img);
@@ -287,7 +283,6 @@ void CAnimImage::setFrame(size_t Frame, size_t Group)
 		return;
 	if (anim->size(Group) > Frame)
 	{
-		anim->load(Frame, Group);
 		frame = Frame;
 		group = Group;
 		if(auto img = anim->getImage(frame, group))
@@ -326,7 +321,6 @@ CShowableAnim::CShowableAnim(int x, int y, const AnimationPath & name, ui8 Flags
 	yOffset(0),
 	alpha(alpha)
 {
-	anim->loadGroup(group);
 	last = anim->size(group);
 
 	auto image = anim->getImage(0, group);
@@ -341,11 +335,6 @@ CShowableAnim::CShowableAnim(int x, int y, const AnimationPath & name, ui8 Flags
 	addUsedEvents(TIME);
 }
 
-CShowableAnim::~CShowableAnim()
-{
-	anim->unloadGroup(group);
-}
-
 void CShowableAnim::setAlpha(ui32 alphaValue)
 {
 	alpha = std::min<ui32>(alphaValue, 255);
@@ -361,9 +350,6 @@ bool CShowableAnim::set(size_t Group, size_t from, size_t to)
 	if (max < from || max == 0)
 		return false;
 
-	anim->unloadGroup(group);
-	anim->loadGroup(Group);
-
 	group = Group;
 	frame = first = from;
 	last = max;
@@ -377,9 +363,6 @@ bool CShowableAnim::set(size_t Group)
 		return false;
 	if (group != Group)
 	{
-		anim->unloadGroup(group);
-		anim->loadGroup(Group);
-
 		first = 0;
 		group = Group;
 		last = anim->size(Group);
diff --git a/client/widgets/Images.h b/client/widgets/Images.h
index f7a53e718..49c6d40fe 100644
--- a/client/widgets/Images.h
+++ b/client/widgets/Images.h
@@ -178,7 +178,6 @@ public:
 	void setAlpha(ui32 alphaValue);
 
 	CShowableAnim(int x, int y, const AnimationPath & name, ui8 flags, ui32 frameTime, size_t Group=0, uint8_t alpha = UINT8_MAX);
-	~CShowableAnim();
 
 	//set animation to group or part of group
 	bool set(size_t Group);
diff --git a/client/windows/CMessage.cpp b/client/windows/CMessage.cpp
index 68351ba08..71d8a056e 100644
--- a/client/windows/CMessage.cpp
+++ b/client/windows/CMessage.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ void CMessage::init()
 	for(int i = 0; i < PlayerColor::PLAYER_LIMIT_I; i++)
 	{
 		dialogBorders[i] = GH.renderHandler().loadAnimation(AnimationPath::builtin("DIALGBOX"));
-		dialogBorders[i]->preload();
 
 		for(int j = 0; j < dialogBorders[i]->size(0); j++)
 		{