Update: Roku reached out to Cord Cutters News to say these ads are skippable. Earlier reports from readers and on Reddit said they couldn’t not be skipped. Roku says there is a close option on these ads that will let you imideitialy exit the ad when it starts. Here is the original story:
Over the weekend, Roku began testing a bold new advertising strategy that has left some users fuming. Owners of Roku-powered smart TVs and streaming sticks, already accustomed to video advertisements on the Roku OS home screen, are now encountering an additional layer of ads: video commercials that play before the home screen even loads. This happens when customers first start their Roku TVs or streaming players a fullscreen and they can’t skip plays before they can go and select an app. This experimental move has ignited a wave of online complaints and raised questions about the future of the user experience on one of the most popular streaming platforms in the U.S.
Reports of these pre-home screen ads surfaced earlier this week, with frustrated Roku customers taking to social media and forums to voice their discontent. On Reddit first spotted by Ars Technica, a user posted on March 16, 2025, “I just turned on my Roku and got an ad for a movie, before I got to the regular Roku home screen.” The post quickly gained traction, with multiple users chiming in to report similar experiences, many citing an advertisement for Disney’s upcoming film Moana 2 as the culprit. For now not all Roku owners are impacted by this change as it seems to be limited to a small test group.
In a statement to Cord Cutters News, a Roku spokesperson said, “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.”
Roku, which powers an estimated 90 million households in the U.S. as of early 2025, has long integrated advertising into its platform as a core revenue driver. The Roku OS home screen already features video ads in prominent placements like the “Marquee” slot, a move confirmed by CEO Anthony Wood during a 2024 earnings call when he announced plans to evolve static ads into video formats. However, this latest test pushes the boundaries further, forcing users to watch a commercial before accessing the interface—a step that mirrors the autoplay ads seen on some free streaming services but feels jarring in the context of a device’s operating system.
Roku is not the first to have fullscreen video ads when they start their device as Fire TVs have had this for some time.
This isn’t the first time Roku has faced criticism for its ad-heavy approach. In 2024, the company rolled out video ads on the home screen, replacing static banners, a decision that already irked some users who felt it cluttered an otherwise simple interface. Yet, Roku’s reliance on advertising revenue—$755 million from its platform business in Q1 2024 alone, a 19% year-over-year increase—has fueled its push to “innovate” in this space. The company’s leadership has been vocal about monetizing the home screen, with Wood previously stating it reaches nearly 120 million people daily, presenting a lucrative opportunity for advertisers.
Roku users, meanwhile, are left weighing their options. Some have threatened to switch to alternatives like Apple TV, which commands a higher price but promises an ad-free interface. As the test unfolds, Roku faces a delicate balancing act: maintaining its advertising-driven business model without alienating the millions who turned to it for a streamlined streaming experience.
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