Developer ends lucrative screensaver deal with Roku because Fox bought it

Some Roku OS users have been sad to learn that their favorite screensaver will no longer be available as of December 1.

This week, affected users reported receiving an alert on their device that they will not be able to use the “Aquatic Life” screensaver after this month, as first reported by Cord Cutters News.

The screensaver has been an option for Roku OS users for 10 years. Roku has been licensing the animation, which is called the Marine Aquarium, from artist Jim Sachs through Prolific Publishing.

Sachs is the creator and copyright holder of the Marine Aquarium. He developed the screensaver through his company SereneScreen. He tells Ars Technica that the licensing agreement with Roku is up for renewal every October and can be canceled by either party for any reason. A day after learning that Fox was planning to buy Roku, a deal that closed today, Sachs told Prolific that he wouldn’t be renewing Roku’s license.

“I can’t be part of the Fox world,” he tells Ars, pointing to Fox News’ controversial style of news and entertainment.

Roku will automatically switch the Aquatic Life screensaver on affected devices to the Roku City screensaver, another popular animation that includes subtle advertisements, according to the user notice.

The Aquatic Life screensaver provided an ad-free, relaxing display for years for some Roku users. Numerous people online have lamented the impending loss of the screensaver for Roku OS .

“When my head is in overdrive (very often with my ADHD), this screensaver grounds me and lets me exhale and become focused with myself again. It may sound over the top, but it’s true. It takes a lot for me to chill and relax, but this Aquatic Life [screensaver] is my go to. Totally gutted 😢,” a Reddit user wrote this week.

Sachs told Ars he’s interested in placating fans of the Marine Aquarium and said Roku has asked him to restore the license. When asked what his biggest concerns about Fox buying Roku are, Sachs said:

It seems that Fox simply wants another venue for spreading their philosophy, which I consider repugnant. I can’t stand the idea of my artwork being used to lure even one person down that rabbit hole.

It seems that Fox simply wants another venue for spreading their philosophy, which I consider repugnant. I can’t stand the idea of my artwork being used to lure even one person down that rabbit hole.

The decision to not renew the licensing contract has “major financial consequences,” Sachs said.

“Our needs are very small, with a high property tax bill being the only significant expense,” he said. “We’ll be okay but can’t start any of the projects I had planned.”

According to Sachs, the licensing “agreement was $80,000 per year for exclusive rights to all set-top devices, or $60,000 per year for non-exclusive. They have always opted for exclusive.” Ars asked Roku to confirm the details of the licensing agreement but didn’t hear back ahead of publication.

The licensing deal with Roku was Sachs’ primary form of income, he told Ars, noting low sales of the version of the screensaver for computers.

Marine Aquarium fans can still buy the screensaver for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, but it seems unlikely that it will return to the Roku platform.

“One of the best reasons to buy Roku was the themes and less ads than competitors. But they haven’t added any new themes in years aside from sponsored ones, and they increased the amount of ads,” a Reddit user posted this week in response to Roku’s loss of the Aquatic Life screensaver.

Sachs, meanwhile, says he has “no delusions” that pulling the license will have any meaningful impact. However, he’s hopeful that another streaming company will look to offer the screensaver.

“I’m assuming that Fox will not be reversing their whole rage-based business model and take responsibility for all the harm it has caused. I’d be happy to restore the license under those circumstances. They could even have it for free,” he said.

Fox closed its acquisition of Roku today for $22 billion.

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