Roku has apparently found an entirely new way to anger its users by showing them ads before the home screen loads.
The new ads have been highlighted in a Reddit thread full of users talking about throwing their device "in the trash" or looking for ways to "publicly shame" the company.
"Hello! I just turned on my Roku and got an unskippable ad for a movie, before I got to the regular Roku homescreen. Has anyone else experienced this," asked the thread's creator. Judging by the comments below, other users have indeed experienced this, and it's hard to find one that's happy about it. (Update: the ad apparently can be skipped, though it's not clear how obvious this is to users.)
Roku confirmed the move to Ars Technica, calling it a "test."
"Our recent test is just the latest example, as we explore new ways to showcase brands and programming while still providing a delightful and simple user experience," a spokesperson told the outlet. There's no word on whether the test could turn into a permanent feature, though.
On Roku's official forum, users are also voicing their opinion about the new ad type.
"I trashed all of my Amazon boxes years ago because of this garbage. If it keeps up, my Rokus will be next," wrote one user. "... today when I went to use the device it tried to force me to watch an ad before I could select my ap. This is unacceptable and if it continues, I'm trashing this device," wrote another.
We've asked Roku for more details about the test, and will update this article when we hear back. In the meantime, this seems to be a good blueprint for streaming companies of what not to do if they want to keep their users.
UPDATE: Mar. 18, 2025, 2:55 p.m. CET Roku got back to us with the following statement: "Roku delivers the best value and experience for our 90M and growing TV streaming households. This has and will always require continuous testing and innovation across design, navigation, content, and our first-rate advertising products. Our recent test is just the latest example, as we explore new ways to showcase brands and programming while still providing a delightful and simple user experience."
Topics Streaming
