Roku TVs may soon have the ability to show you ads while your games are paused

Only on Roku TVs

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A recently discoveredRokupatent suggests that the streaming company is looking into ways to display ads on its smart TVs during periods of inactivity. This would include when a game has been paused for a certain amount of time.

Thepatent, spotted by tech newsletterLowpass, states that Roku TVs are currently unable to display adds via third-party devices that are connected to the TV via HDMI.

The tech in question seeks to address this by looking for extended breaks in audio/visual output (such as when you’ve had your games paused for a while) so as to not interrupt actual gameplay. This wouldn’t be too dissimilar to how Xbox consoles display achievement splash screens when your system has been inactive for a while.

As it stands, Roku TVs - and indeed its lineup of streaming sticks - can only display ads natively via its screensaver feature. Currently, Roku OS (the Roku TVoperating system) is inactive when one of its smart TVs is displaying HDMI output from a third-party device like aPS5,Xbox Series Xor Nintendo Switch. The patent (which is still pending) is looking for a way to circumvent this.

Addled

If the patent is greenlit and Roku TVs do start implementing this feature, it tries to make clear that it would seek to display only relevant advertising. That said, it’s clearly quite volatile tech should it be implemented poorly. There’s every chance this ad system may not work as intended.

Imagine having an ad flash itself on your screen during a lengthy, engaging cutscene. Or one that loses you that clutch final round during aTekken 8ranked online session. It doesn’t specify the amount of time that needs to pass for an ad to be displayed. It could be minutes or even less.

If this patented ad system doesn’t work as intended, it’s easy to see regular gamers (or even folks who primarily watch content via streaming services) warn others away from purchasing Roku smart TVs. And even if it does work, many users will no doubt find ads being displayed over inactive games to be quite intrusive.

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That being said, there’s absolutely no guarantee Roku will implement this technology should the patent go forward. Even companies likeSonyand Nintendo file patents for certain technologies and systems that never really come to fruition. If you own a Roku TV, then, this likely isn’t something you’ll have to worry about anytime soon.

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Rhys is TRG’s Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for more than two years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, as well as the latest and greatest in fight sticks and VR, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.

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