Automattic has acquired Atavist, a “publishing and story-telling platform” for an undisclosed amount. The Wall Street Journal mentioned in its coverage that Atavist has 200,000 users, but reportedly only a small percentage pay for premium features. Atavist employees will join Automattic, and the Atavist Magazine (which has won several high standing awards) will also be acquired as part of the deal.
Matt Mullenweg mentions on his blog that the Atavist Magazine will complement Longreads. Plans are underway to integrating the best of Atavist’s CMS and publisher features into WordPress.com and Jetpack.
Mark Armstrong has an interview with the company’s CEO, chief magazine editor, and head of product communications.
