I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that this year has been tumultuous for Roku so far. Earlier this year it had its redesigned main page experience in the United States, which drew mixed reactions. Shortly thereafter, it announced a $22 billion acquisition of Fox, which also drew considerable criticism. And in July the company increased prices across its entire lineup of streaming devices due to the ongoing global memory shortage.
Now, shortly after the beginning of his roll out Roku OS 16 updateintroducing new features such as Roku Labs and an improved search and voice experience, the streaming giant has begun to inform users that it is removing one of its best features: the fish tank screensaver.
Known as Aquatic Life, Roku’s fish tank screensaver has graced countless TV screens over the years and remains one of the best screensaver options on the platform, especially for those who aren’t fans of Roku City.
In its message to users with Aquatic Life as their screensaver, Roku did not explain why it is being removed, only that it will no longer be available as of December 1, 2026, and that users’ screensavers will then automatically switch to Roku City.
Although Roku won’t say it directly, the removal may be due to the Fox acquisition.
Roku may lose the license for Aquatic Life
Roku City wishes it so cool
According to Cord Cutter News, Roku could remove the Aquatic Life screensaver because its creator pulled the license in response to the company’s acquisition by Fox. The screensaver was not actually developed by Roku itself, but was licensed by SereneScreen, the company behind the Marine Aquarium screensaver, which is available to purchase for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android.
Users on Reddit were quick to express their disappointment at the removal. One user said: “I just emailed the developer about how much this sucks. Can’t blame them for pulling it if it’s a protest move.” Another suggested that Roku might actually be fine with the decision, as it gives the company the opportunity to push Roku City to even more users. “It’s probably so they can show MORE ads because Roku City has small billboards on it,” she said. You can check out the original post on Reddit below, which got a lot of attention.
Back in June, Roku and Fox announced that they had reached an agreement under which Fox would buy Roku for approximately $22 billion. In a statement about the deal, Fox said the acquisition “brings together the most valuable live content portfolio in video consumption with the preeminent streaming platform through which America watches it.”
The acquisition has yet to be completed as it is still going through the regulatory approval process. However, the deal is expected to close sometime in early 2027. The deal has drawn its fair share of criticism in recent months, largely because it represents yet another example of media consolidation, especially so soon after Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros., which has since been renamed Skydance.
If you’re currently using the Aquatic Life screensaver on your Roku, you still have a few weeks to enjoy it, as it won’t be removed until December 1st. When that date arrives, however, your screensaver will automatically switch to Roku City. If you prefer to explore some of the other screensaver options available on your device, you can find them below Settings > Theme > Screensaver. Although unfortunately none of them quite match the aura of Aquatic Life.