In a significant turn of events, WordPress co-founder and Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg has announced plans to lift the bans on all previously blocked accounts on WordPress.org and X (formerly Twitter), including those associated with WP Engine. This decision follows months of legal battles and community backlash stemming from a conflict between Automattic and WP Engine.
I tried to unblock all accounts today, but the X interface is broken. I’ll figure out how to unblock everyone. I’m removing all my blocks; it may take a few days. Any block that remains is a bug, not a statement.
The dispute began in September 2024 when Mullenweg publicly criticized WP Engine, labeling the company a “cancer to WordPress” and accusing it of profiting from the WordPress ecosystem without adequate contributions. Automattic subsequently demanded an 8% revenue share from WP Engine for trademark usage, leading to a series of legal exchanges. On September 25, 2024, WordPress.org blocked WP Engine’s access to its repositories, affecting plugin updates and security patches for WP Engine customers.
The situation escalated when WP Engine filed a lawsuit against Automattic and Mullenweg on October 2, 2024, alleging extortion and abuse of power. In response, Automattic implemented additional measures, including taking over WP Engine’s Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin and adding a checkbox on WordPress.org requiring users to confirm they were not affiliated with WP Engine.
On December 10, 2024, a U.S. District Court granted a preliminary injunction in favor of WP Engine, ordering Automattic to cease blocking WP Engine’s access to WordPress.org resources and to remove the discriminatory checkbox.
Background: The Timeline of the Dispute
The conflict between Automattic and WP Engine has been unfolding since mid-2024 and centers around trademark rights, plugin governance, and broader questions around power dynamics in the WordPress ecosystem.
Key events include:
- September 2024: Mullenweg publicly criticized WP Engine, calling them a “cancer to WordPress” and suggesting they pay 8% of revenue for trademark usage.
- Late September: WP Engine-affiliated developers were blocked from updating plugins on WordPress.org; even popular plugins like ACF were affected.
- October 2024: WP Engine filed a lawsuit against Mullenweg and Automattic, alleging extortion and abuse of control over WordPress.org.
- December 2024: A U.S. District Court granted WP Engine a preliminary injunction, ordering Automattic to restore access and remove discriminatory measures.
- April 2025: Mullenweg announces complete reversal of the bans.
What This Means
- Developers previously blocked can now resume plugin maintenance and contributions.
- Community trust is likely to be tested further as discussions shift toward long-term governance reforms.
- Automattic and WP Engine may still be on uncertain ground legally, but the gesture marks a public step toward de-escalation.
The lifting of these bans is seen as a step toward healing divisions within the WordPress community. However, the underlying issues regarding governance and the balance between open-source ideals and commercial interests remain topics of discussion.
This article will be updated as more information becomes available.