Roku Screensaver Pulled After Developer Refuses to License Art to Fox
The creator of Marine Aquarium, a decade-old Roku screensaver, has declined to renew his licensing agreement following Fox's $22 billion acquisition of the streaming platform, citing concerns about the company's editorial direction.
Roku users who have relied on the "Aquatic Life" screensaver for a decade will lose access to it starting December 1. Device owners began receiving notifications this week alerting them to the impending removal, as initially covered by Cord Cutters News.
The animation, formally known as Marine Aquarium, has been licensed to Roku by Jim Sachs, the artist and copyright holder who created it through his company SereneScreen. Sachs worked with Prolific Publishing to manage the licensing arrangement with Roku. According to Sachs, the licensing agreement renews each October and either party can terminate it without cause.
Sachs made his decision to let the license lapse shortly after learning of Fox's plans to acquire Roku. The deal closed today. "I can't be part of the Fox world," Sachs told Ars Technica, referencing Fox News' polarizing approach to news and entertainment.
Roku intends to automatically replace Aquatic Life with Roku City, another animated screensaver that incorporates subtle advertising. The Aquatic Life screensaver had offered Roku users an advertisement-free, tranquil viewing experience.
The loss has prompted considerable disappointment among Roku users online. One Reddit commenter described the screensaver's therapeutic value: "When my head is in overdrive (very often with my ADHD), this screensaver grounds me and lets me exhale and become focused with myself again. It may sound over the top, but it's true. It takes a lot for me to chill and relax, but this Aquatic Life [screensaver] is my go to. Totally gutted 😢"
Sachs expressed willingness to work with Roku to restore the arrangement and acknowledged that the company has requested he reconsider. When pressed on his reservations about Fox's ownership, he elaborated:
It seems that Fox simply wants another venue for spreading their philosophy, which I consider repugnant. I can't stand the idea of my artwork being used to lure even one person down that rabbit hole.
Jim Sachs
The decision carries substantial financial ramifications for Sachs. The licensing arrangement represented his primary revenue stream, he explained to Ars Technica, with computer sales of the screensaver remaining modest. "Our needs are very small, with a high property tax bill being the only significant expense," Sachs said. "We'll be okay but can't start any of the projects I had planned."
Sachs disclosed that Roku had been paying either $80,000 annually for exclusive rights across all set-top devices or $60,000 per year for non-exclusive licensing. Roku has consistently selected the exclusive option. Ars Technica sought confirmation of these figures from Roku but received no response before publication.
The Marine Aquarium screensaver remains available for purchase on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android platforms, though a return to Roku appears unlikely. Users have also expressed frustration with Roku's broader direction, with one commenter noting: "One of the best reasons to buy Roku was the themes and less ads than competitors. But they haven't added any new themes in years aside from sponsored ones, and they increased the amount of ads."
Sachs maintains realistic expectations about the impact of his decision but remains open to the possibility of another streaming service adopting the screensaver. He indicated a willingness to reverse course if circumstances change: "I'm assuming that Fox will not be reversing their whole rage-based business model and take responsibility for all the harm it has caused. I'd be happy to restore the license under those circumstances. They could even have it for free."
Fox completed its acquisition of Roku today for $22 billion.