WP Engine has officially filed a lawsuit against WordPress co-creator Matt Mullenweg and his company, Automattic, accusing them of abusing their power in a heated corporate dispute. The legal action follows a breakdown in negotiations regarding licensing and contribution requirements that have roiled the WordPress ecosystem.
The Core of the Conflict
The disagreement centers on demands made by Mullenweg, who reportedly presented WP Engine with a stark ultimatum. The company was given the choice to commit 8% of its resources to WordPress core development—either by assigning employees to work directly on the platform’s features and functionalities or by providing equivalent financial compensation.
Restrictive Terms and Refusal
WP Engine ultimately rejected these terms, citing concerns over the conditions attached to the proposal. The rejected agreement included a restrictive provision that would have placed a probation on the company’s ability to fork plugins and extensions from Automattic and WooCommerce, a move WP Engine views as an overreach of authority.
