WordPress.com mum or dad firm Automattic is altering route… once more.

In a blog post titled “Returning to Core” printed Thursday night, Automattic introduced it would unpause its contributions to the WordPress mission. That is regardless of having mentioned solely final month that the 6.8 WordPress release could be the ultimate main launch for all of 2025.

“After pausing our contributions to regroup, rethink, and plan strategically, we’re able to press play once more and return totally to the WordPress mission,” the brand new weblog publish states. “Anticipate finding our contributions throughout the entire biggest hits — WordPress Core, Gutenberg, Playground, Openverse, and WordPress.org. This return is a second of pleasure for us because it’s about persevering with the mission we’ve at all times believed in: democratizing publishing for everybody, all over the place,” it reads.

Automattic says it’s realized so much from the pause by way of the numerous methods WordPress is used, and that it’s now dedicated to serving to it “develop and thrive.”

The publish additionally notes that WordPress at the moment powers 43% of the net.

It’s unclear what has modified.

Nonetheless, in keeping with sources who spoke to TechCrunch, Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg defined in an inner publish printed final night time that he needs to get a 6.9 launch out this with an admin refresh and one thing from the “new AI workforce.” (The latter references this week’s announcement that WordPress formed a new team to steward the development of AI projects.)

“I don’t assume that may occur with out our contributions,” the publish acknowledged, in keeping with a supply conversant in the interior discussions.

Insiders are speculating there’s extra to it than that, and varied theories are being floated. Some marvel if Mullenweg was pressured into this transfer or if he realized that pulling again wasn’t good for his enterprise or its fame? Others are debating if this transformation of coronary heart has to do with Automattic’s ongoing litigation with WordPress’ internet hosting firm, WP Engine, which Automattic has referred to as a “threat” to the WordPress community and a “cancer to WordPress.”

Nobody is aware of what to imagine, and none of those backchannel theories line up with the formally acknowledged purpose.

Automattic was requested for added remark.

Since 2024, Automattic has been engaged in a authorized dispute that has to do with how little, in Mullenweg’s opinion, WP Engine contributes to the WordPress mission, regardless of its dimension and income.

He sees the internet hosting firm as profiting off the open supply work WordPress is doing with out giving again. Mullenweg additionally alleges that WP Engine advantages from the confusion between WordPress and industrial companies like WP Engine. This led him to ban the corporate from accessing WordPress.org and sue in courtroom for unauthorized trademark usage.

Merely put, Mullenweg thinks WP Engine should either pay a direct licensing payment or up its contributions to the open supply WordPress mission, or shouldn’t be allowed to make use of its trademark.

WP Engine responded that it doesn’t assume it wants a license and that Automattic misunderstands trademark regulation, suing Automattic in return.

Final month, Automattic laid off 16% of staff, saying the restructuring was essential to be extra agile and enhance its productiveness and profitability.

Sarah Perez may be reached at @sarahperez.01 on Sign and [email protected] .