In the past couple of days, Roku TV users have started getting a message that hasn’t been well received.
Starting Dec. 1, the company announced, it’s removing its beloved free Aquatic Life screensaver. Instead, Roku TV users will see Roku City.
Fans of the screensaver who say they’ve used it for the last decade are distraught. In a recent TikTok video, one such customer, Leighton (@Leighton742), filmed the notice on her Aquatic Life screensaver, sounding the alarm.
In the comments section, parents of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) revealed why this is a much bigger problem than just a company changing its artwork.
Is Roku TV getting rid of the aquatic life screensaver?
In a clip that got over 562,900 views, Leighton stands in front of her TV while the Aquatic Life screensaver plays behind her.
“This is my Roku fish tank. It’s my screensaver,” she says. “It’s been my screensaver for years. I love it. My cats love it. I love it.”
Then she points out the notice Roku placed on the screen.
“I just see on my TV this morning Roku is getting rid of the Aquatic Life screensaver,” she says.
The message reads: “Starting Dec 1, 2026, the Aquatic Life screensaver will no longer be available, and your screensaver will switch to Roku City.”
Roku also tells users they can choose something else through its Theme Store.
“Prefer something different? Browse the Theme Store in Settings > Theme > Screensaver,” the notice reads.
Leighton wasn’t happy.
“Are you kidding me?” she says. “They’re gonna kill my fish.”
She wonders whether users could do anything to stop it.
“Can I protest? Like, what do I do?” she asks. “I can’t have this happen. I love them.”
Parents of kids diagnosed with ASD chime in
In the comments section, concerned parents who have kids diagnosed with ASD said losing the screensaver could be especially upsetting for their children.
“I just wrote them. my son is autistic and this is the only thing he watches. every day. all day. this breaks our hearts,” one commenter wrote.
Another parent said the change could seriously disrupt her son.
“I started crying today because my autistic son relies on this. He’s going to freak out,” she wrote.
Parents of autistic children on Facebook have previously posted about their kids’ fascination with TV screensavers. One on Facebook wrote, “Discovering that we can change the Screensaver was a big moment in our household. He loves all of them but the fish tank, robots and jungle are his favorites!”
One viewer had a theory about why Roku was getting rid of Aquatic Life.
“It’s cause they can’t put ads in it like they do with Roku city,” they wrote.
Why is Roku TV getting rid of its beloved aquatic screensaver?
Roku does put ads in the Roku City screensaver, but that reportedly isn’t why Aquatic Life is disappearing.
Roku TV does put ads in the Roku City screensaver, but the real reason it discontinued the screensaver is that the artist stopped giving it permission to use it.
As reported by Cord Cutters News, Jim Sachs, the creator of the feature, withdrew Roku TV’s license to use his artwork in response to Roku’s acquisition by Fox Corporation.
Cord Cutters News also reported that Sachs specifically said the decision wasn’t related to advertising. Roku had apparently explored adding ads to Aquatic Life years earlier, but that wasn’t what prompted him to withdraw the license.
@leighton742
Subplot News has reached out to Roku TV and Leighton via email for comment.
