'We Had A Hell Of A Run': Why Roku Is Losing Its Best Screensaver

Roku devices and Roku TVs have some entertaining screensavers to choose from, like Roku City, which is regularly updated, and a live aquatic variant. But recent news has some fans reeling as the Aquatic Life screensaver is being retired. If you've never used the screensaver or haven't seen it in action, it's basically a realistic aquarium with all kinds of exotic fish swimming about. Yes, the ever-popular Blue Tang and Clownfish feature heavily. When opened, the screensaver is now warning users that "starting December 1, 2026," it will no longer be available. Instead, anyone who has the screensaver active will be swapped to the Roku City animation.

As for why the screensaver is going away, it's a licensing issue. The original creator, Jim Sachs, posted on SereneScreen in June that he would remove the screensaver once the license expires because of Fox's planned acquisition of Roku. The deal closed in November, and Sachs also confirmed his decision to Ars Technica, saying, "I can't be part of the Fox world." Roku representatives have yet to comment on record.

Fans have taken to online forums to voice their disappointment with the change, understandably. There's a Change.org petition live already, too. If you're a proponent of seeing fishy friends between movies and shows, the good news is that there are a few alternatives. If you head to Settings > Theme > Screensavers, you'll find a variety of additional options, some pre-installed and others available to download. Changing the home screen theme and screensaver is a great way to customize your Roku experience. Some notable underwater alternatives include Coral Reef, Tropical Aquarium, Ocean, Tropical Fish, and Sea Creatures, all by EldredJenkins; Aquarium Screensaver Channel by aniFree — though it may have some added fees — and Tropical Aquarium by JP.

Jim Sachs is the developer of SereneScreen Marine Aquarium, a multi-platform screensaver of sorts that features beautiful underwater imagery and, of course, fish. In an October post on SereneScreen, Sachs said he was approached by the founder of Roku years ago to include the screensaver, and after agreeing, it was converted to a Linux version from its OpenGL origins. The storied history of the screensaver goes back much further, and there's a very interesting video by LGR on it all if you want to learn more.

Basically, if Sachs doesn't want Roku to use the screensaver anymore and doesn't renew the license, that's that. One can hope he'll change his mind. In his June SereneScreen post, Sachs actually alludes to the existing licensing fee helping him survive over the last decade: "we had a hell of a run."  Interestingly, Sachs is also a legend in the gaming industry, with creative work stretching all the way back to the early '80s — one of his first games was "Saucer Attack" for the Commodore 64. The sale gives Fox wider access to Roku's streaming platform and its audience base, and many are concerned it's bad news for the modern entertainment world and open platforms. It would appear Sachs feels that way, as well.

With the recent news of Fox purchasing Roku and things changing a la Aquatic Life access, folks might have more than a few reservations. Is Roku still worth owning in 2026 and beyond? The low cost of entry is quite appealing, even considering the fact that many smart TVs off the shelf come with pre-configured streaming hardware. But almost no one can tell you, yet, what the future of Roku's ecosystem is going to look like. We could end up seeing big changes to how content is recommended, how ads and promotions are served, and possibly what's available to stream or watch on Roku's devices altogether.

If screensavers are your biggest concern, and no shade if that applies to you, there are a ton of valid options. They're actually one of the best ways to transform your Roku devices or TVs into digital photo frames temporarily. There's way, way more than just aquatic scenes and imagery. You can browse the full library of available animations and channels on Roku's site and install them from a browser if you're signed in to your account. It is important to point out that the quality of those screensavers and animations varies wildly. Some are up to par with the original Aquatic Life, while others, not so much. There are community ratings for many of the screensavers and themes, but the best way to find out if you like them is to give them a try.