How do we decide which projects to archive, and why?
When a project is archived, it is because we are absolutely sure we can’t create a LEGO set based on the submission. This could be due to a number of different factors and circumstances, but the most common instance is the "licensing check." When a project reaches 1,000 supporters, our team performs a basic check to look for any known conflicts. Sometimes this check shows us we can't consider a project for licensing reasons (keep in mind that occasionally, we are made aware of a licensing issue even when projects have surpassed 1,000 supporters, resulting in projects being archived after this milestone).
When a project is archived, it remains visible on LEGO Ideas, although you can't support the project or leave a comment. This way, fans' work can still be admired by others even if it's not being considered as a product anymore. We leave an official comment on all archived projects to explain the reasons why it has been archived to help clear up any confusion.
Even if a project passes this initial licensing check, that doesn’t necessary mean it will pass The LEGO Review should the project reach 10,000 supporters. We aren’t be able to release everything that qualifies, but since we believe in giving as many of you as possible the chance to have your work considered, we’ll try to archive as few projects as possible.