WordPress.com Automattic parent company changes direction … again.
In a blog post Titled “Returning to the Core” published on Thursday night, Automattic announced that it will disappoint its contributions to the WordPress project. This happens despite the fact that he only said last month that the release of 6.8 WordPress It would be the final major release for all 2025.
“After ceasing our contributions to reconstruction, review and design strategically, we are ready to push the game again and return fully to WordPress project,” the new position on the blog said. “Wait to find our contributions to all the greatest hits – WordPress Core, Gutenberg, Playground, Openverse and WordPress.org. This return is a time of excitement for us as we continue the mission I always believed:
Automattic says she has learned a lot about the cessation of the many ways WordPress is used and that she is now committed to helping her “grow up and thrive”.
The post also notes that WordPress today authorizes 43% of the tissue.
It is not clear what has changed.
However, according to sources who spoke with TechCrunch, Automattic Matt Mullenweg’s CEO explained to an internal position published last night that it wants to get 6.9 released this year with an admin renewal and something from the “new AI team”. (The latter states this week’s announcement that WordPress formed a new team to manage the development of AI projects.)
“I don’t think this will happen without our contributions,” the post said, according to a source familiar with internal discussions.
Internal speculations are more than that, and various theories float. Some are wondering if Mullenweg was pressured in this move or realized that the pull was not good for his business or reputation? Others are discussing whether this heart change has to do with Automattic’s ongoing difference with WordPress Hosting Company, WP Engine, which Automattic has called on “threat “in WordPress Community And a “WordPress cancer”.
No one knows what to believe, and none of these backchannel theories are aligned with the official speech.
Automattic was requested for an additional comment.
Since 2024, Automattic has been involved in a legal dispute that has to do with how few, in Mullenweg’s opinion, WP Engine contributes to WordPress project, despite its size and income.
He believes that the hosting company is beneficial from the openpress open source without returning. Mullenweg also claims that the WP engine benefits from the confusion between WordPress and commercial services such as the WP Engine. This led him to ban the company from accessing WordPress.org and sue the court for the court unauthorized use of trademarks.
In simple terms, Mullenweg thinks of the wp engine You have to either pay An immediate licensing fee or its contribution to the open source WordPress project or should not be allowed to use its brand.
The WP Engine replied that he does not believe that the license is needed and that the automatic misunderstanding of the trademarks law, which Automattic exerts in return.
Last month, Automattic left 16% of staff, saying that restructuring was necessary to be more flexible and improve its productivity and profitability.
Sarah Perez can be approached at @sarahperez.01 at signal and sarahp@techcrunch.com.
