EAGLE-eyed Roku users spotted a strange feature in the iconic screensaver that left them scratching their heads.
The colorful cityscape, dubbed “Roku City” by fans, has been a platform design staple for years.
However, not many know about its sneaky pop culture references.
Reddit users stumbled upon one clue earlier this month, with a netizen commenting, “Anybody recognize this building?”
The user singled out a silhouetted skyscraper with a globe-like attachment on top.
Other users immediately recognized the structure as the Daily Planet building from the Superman comics.
The Daily Planet is the fictional newspaper where Superman, as Clark Kent, is employed.
Another Redditor even identified the building to its right as the so-called “Batman Building” in Nashville, Tennessee.
That office tower, 333 Commerce Street, features two spires that point straight into the sky.
Surprisingly, the Roku screensaver was created for utility rather than entertainment.
The first design, which was released in 2008, was intended to prevent screen burn-in on older TV models.
It featured images of several cities, including New York and London.
Four years later, Roku sought to personalize the viewing experience with a new screensaver.
This rendition showcased user-submitted photos, all while keeping with the city theme.
A clock and weather widget appeared in 2015, akin to a smartphone display.
In 2017, Roku updated the screensaver to include 4K Ultra HD images and videos.
The latest redesign occurred in April 2023 with the release of the Roku City Stroll screensaver.
The updated display features a digital city with billboards and countless references to film, movies, and pop culture.
As recently as this year, Roku announced another change to the iconic scene.
In April, cars were introduced to the Roku City streets, bringing the “digital downtown” to life.
Even hardcore fans may not know that the screensaver was designed by Kyle Jones, an artist who now works at Pixar.
Jones elected to include stealthy “Easter eggs” throughout the artwork, including the trademark DC Comics building.
The company is best known as a popular provider of free, ad-supported streaming television - or SMART TV for short.
Roku, Inc. was founded in 2002 by Anthony Wood, an English-born businessman who relocated to the United States as a teenager.
Wood wanted to help TV fans watch what they wanted when they wanted and came up with the idea of a TV operating system with access to online content.
Roku released its first product in 2008 – a streaming box called the Roku DVP, which sold 10 million units in just six days.
The company’s hardware is compatible with any TV that has an HDMI connection. This means virtually anyone can access the streamer’s growing body of content.
Each player comes with a Roku remote to navigate on-screen menus and control playback.
The company also licenses its operating system to television manufacturers like Toshiba and Hisense to create Roku-branded TVs.\
The streamer has steadily been expanding its portfolio on The Roku Channel.
It boasts free content from over 250 partners, including live news from networks like NBC, Fox, and CBS.
The ever-growing library boasts over 350 live TV channels and 80,000 free movies and shows.
