Farewell Roku aquarium: Popular screensaver will be removed following billion dollar Fox acquisition

A beloved Roku screensaver, Aquatic Life, will soon disappear from the popular streaming device following a billion dollar acquisition by Fox. The screensaver, an ad-free aquarium featuring swimming fish, had become an essential source of comfort for many users over the years. When Fox announced the $22 billion deal to acquire Roku on November 6, fans of Aquatic Life noticed an alert appearing on their devices warning that the screensaver would soon be gone.

The artist behind Aquatic Life, Jim Sachs, confirmed he had not renewed his $80,000 annual licensing agreement with Roku after learning of the Fox acquisition. Sachs cited Fox's controversial reputation as a reason for not wanting his artwork to be associated with the company. Roku City, Roku's default screensaver and native ad placement spot, will replace Aquatic Life on December 1.