After stepping back just weeks ago, WordPress.com’s parent company Automattic has announced it’s returning to contribute to the WordPress project—again.
In a blog post titled “Returning to Core” published Thursday evening, the company revealed it’s “pressing play” on its efforts to support and build WordPress, including Core, Gutenberg, Playground, Openverse, and WordPress.org. This reversal comes just a month after Automattic said the 6.8 release would be the final major one of 2025.
“After pausing our contributions to regroup, rethink, and plan strategically, we’re ready to press play again,” the company wrote. “This return is a moment of excitement for us as it’s about continuing the mission we’ve always believed in: democratizing publishing for everyone, everywhere.”
Automattic added that its brief hiatus allowed it to gain perspective on how widely and diversely WordPress is used. Now, the company says it’s more committed than ever to helping the platform grow. Currently, WordPress powers a staggering 43% of all websites.
Still, the sudden shift raises questions.
According to sources familiar with internal discussions, Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg shared an internal post suggesting he hopes to push out a 6.9 release this year—including a refreshed admin experience and contributions from a newly formed AI team. The AI group was announced earlier this week and will focus on developing machine learning tools within the WordPress ecosystem.
“I don’t think that will happen without our contributions,” Mullenweg reportedly wrote.
But the official explanation may not tell the whole story. Industry insiders are speculating whether external pressure or internal concerns about business and brand reputation might have influenced the decision. There’s also growing chatter about whether Automattic’s ongoing legal battle with hosting provider WP Engine played a role.
Automattic has been embroiled in a public feud with WP Engine since 2024. Mullenweg has accused the company of exploiting WordPress’ open-source ecosystem without giving back—going as far as calling WP Engine a “cancer to WordPress.” The dispute escalated when Automattic banned the company from WordPress.org and filed a trademark infringement lawsuit, insisting WP Engine should either contribute more or pay a licensing fee.
WP Engine, for its part, countersued, claiming Automattic misunderstands trademark law and has no grounds for its demands.
Adding to the tension, Automattic recently laid off 16% of its staff, citing the need to be leaner, more productive, and more profitable—another sign the company may be rethinking its priorities.
Whatever the reason behind the about-face, Automattic’s return marks a pivotal moment for the open-source platform it helped create—and the broader WordPress community will be watching closely.
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