Roku will discontinue its Aquatic Life screensaver on December 1, 2026, after creator Jim Sachs withdrew the license allowing the company to offer it. Sachs told Cord Cutters News that his decision was prompted by Fox Corporation’s pending acquisition of Roku and his opposition to the change in ownership.
Users of affected devices have begun receiving notices that Aquatic Life will no longer be available after December 1. Devices currently using it will switch to Roku City, the platform’s stylized urban screensaver.
Aquatic Life is Roku’s licensed version of Marine Aquarium, developed by Sachs through his SereneScreen company. The 3D scene features tropical fish, coral and other sea life, along with a Roku-branded rock. It has been available mainly on 4K Roku devices since around 2017 and became a familiar background display in many homes.
Sachs said the license revenue had been a primary source of income for roughly a decade and that withdrawing it would cause financial hardship. He said he nevertheless preferred ending the arrangement rather than continuing under the planned ownership. Sachs also clarified that the decision was not related to advertising: Roku had considered adding ads to the screensaver years ago but later dropped the idea.
Fox announced its agreement to acquire Roku in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at about $22 billion. The deal has received shareholder approval, but remains subject to U.S. regulatory review and is projected to close in the first half of 2027.
Roku’s Theme Store continues to offer other screensavers, including Jungle, Nautical, Star Trek: The Original Series and seasonal options.
Sources: Cord Cutters News.