Why RTFKT and Nike’s Ethereum NFT Artwork Disappeared
The artwork associated with various RTFKT NFT collections, owned by Nike, temporarily disappeared due to an issue with cloud service provider Cloudflare. The incident occurred when Cloudflare switched these collections to a free account prematurely, resulting in their images being unavailable. This technical glitch caused all NFTs to display a uniform black background with a warning message stating the content was restricted. RTFKT's Head of Technology, Samuel Cardillo, noted that the problem was unexpected and linked to an internal error with Cloudflare’s service. To prevent such incidents from happening in the future, RTFKT plans to transition its NFT artwork to decentralized storage. This approach aims to ensure that digital assets remain accessible, regardless of third-party service reliability. Prior discussions had hinted at the need for such a move, particularly following RTFKT's operational challenges, including its shutdown late last year. The incident highlights ongoing concerns in the NFT space regarding dependency on centralised hosting for digital art, prompting a broader reflection on the sustainability of blockchain storage solutions.
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