diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 30979d0f987..447935f4a91 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,93 +1,64 @@
 ## 1.10.0 (Upcoming)
 
 ### NOTES:
-This release contains breaking changes for practitioner relying on plugins
-     previously bundled into Packer. As specified in the [Bundled Plugins Removal announcement](https://www.hashicorp.com/blog/announcing-the-removal-of-bundled-plugins-in-hashicorp-packer)
-     HashiCorp maintained plugins will no longer be shipped with Packer. 
-     Users are encouraged to use `packer init` or `packer plugins [...]` when managing required plugins
-     needed for executing their builds.
-     [GH-12660](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12660)
+This release contains breaking changes for those users who may be relying on plugins previously bundled into Packer. 
+As specified in the [Bundled Plugins Removal announcement](https://www.hashicorp.com/blog/announcing-the-removal-of-bundled-plugins-in-hashicorp-packer) HashiCorp maintained plugins 
+will no longer be shipped with Packer. Users are encouraged to use `packer init` or `packer plugins [...]` for managing required plugins needed for executing their
+builds. [GH-12660](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12660)
 
 The affected plugins include:
-* [packer-plugin-amazon](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer-plugin-amazon) 
-* [packer-plugin-ansible](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer-plugin-ansible) 
-* [packer-plugin-azure](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer-plugin-azure) 
-* [packer-plugin-docker](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer-plugin-docker) 
-* [packer-plugin-googlecompute](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer-plugin-googlecompute) 
-* [packer-plugin-qemu](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer-plugin-qemu) 
-* [packer-plugin-vagrant](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer-plugin-vagrant) 
-* [packer-plugin-virtualbox](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer-plugin-virtualbox) 
-* [packer-plugin-vmware](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer-plugin-vmware) 
-* [packer-plugin-vsphere](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer-plugin-vsphere) 
+* packer-plugin-amazon 
+* packer-plugin-ansible 
+* packer-plugin-azure 
+* packer-plugin-docker 
+* packer-plugin-googlcompute 
+* packer-plugin-qemu 
+* packer-plugin-vagrant 
+* packer-plugin-virtualbox 
+* packer-plugin-vmware 
+* packer-plugin-vsphere 
 
 ### SECURITY:
-* Bump github.com/go-jose/go-jose/v3 to address GO-2023-2334. There have been
-     no reported issues with Packer but we are bumping given that it is a
-     secondary
-     dependency. [GH-12723](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12723)
-* Bump Go to 1.20.10 to Address CVE-2023-44487 / CVE-2023-39325.
-     [GH-12661](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12661)
 * Bump Go to 1.20.11  CVE-2023-45283. There have been no reported issues with
      Packer but we are bumping given its usage of the path/filepath pkg.
      [GH-12690](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12690)
-* Bump Packer Plugin SDK to v0.5.2.
-     [GH-12717](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12717)
+* Bump Go to 1.20.10 to Address CVE-2023-44487 / CVE-2023-39325.
+     [GH-12661](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12661)
 
 ### PLUGINS:
 
 * Removed all HashiCorp vendored plugins from being bundled into the Packer binary.
-[GH-12660](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12660), [GH-12720](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12720)
+[GH-12660](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12660)
 * packer-plugin-hcloud: The Hetzner Cloud plugin has been handed over to the
  Hetzner integrations team. New releases for this plugin are available at
      https://github.com/hetznercloud/packer-plugin-hcloud. Existing references
      to the plugin will continue to work but users are advised to update the
      `required_plugins` block to use the new plugin source address.
     ```
-    required_plugins {
+     required_plugins {
        parallels = {
          source  =  "github.com/hetznercloud/hcloud"
          version =  "~> 1"
-       }
+        }
     }
     ```
+
 ### IMPROVEMENTS:
-* cmd/init: Warn users running `packer init` on configuration templates with a
+* cmd/init: warn users running `packer init` on configuration templates with a
      missing `required_plugins` blocks.
      [GH-12638](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12638)
-* cmd/plugins: Install SHA256SUM file with 0644 perms.
+* cmd/plugins: install SHA256SUM file with 0644 perms.
      [GH-12665](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12665)
-* cmd/plugins: Remove SHA256SUM file on plugin removal.
+* cmd/plugins: remove SHA256SUM file on plugin removal.
      [GH-12666](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12666)
-* cmd/plugins: Remove will error if it fails to find the plugin being selected
+* cmd/plugins: remove will error if it fails to find the plugin being selected
      for removal. [GH-12669](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12669)
-* core/hcl2: Remove empty source file reference on unset variable errors.
-     [GH-12712](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12712)
-* core/hcl: Improve the recursive execution of data sources with other
+* core/hcl: rework to remove the recursive execution of data sources with other
      data source dependencies.
      [GH-12608](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12608)
-* core: Bump github.com/hashicorp/hcp-sdk-go from 0.73.0 to 0.74.0 -
-     [GH-12704](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12704)
-* core: Bump Packer Plugin SDK to v0.5.2.
-     [GH-12717](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12717)
-* core: Provide integration link as hint in error message if a plugin component
-     is unknown. [GH-12705](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12705)
 * core: Update version output for `packer -v` and `packer --version` to match
      `packer version`.
      [GH-12569](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12569)
-* docs: Update plugin installation guides with supported methods for 1.10.0 and
-     above. [GH-12713](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12713)
-
-## 1.9.5 (December 4, 2023)
-
-### SECURITY
-
-* Bump github.com/go-jose/go-jose/v3 to address GO-2023-2334.
-     [GH-12723](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12723)
-
-### BUG FIXES:
-
-* Add VirtualBox as known plugin prefix to prevent endless bundled plugin warning.
-     [GH-12719](https://github.com/hashicorp/packer/pull/12719)
 
 ## 1.9.4 (August 18, 2023)
 
diff --git a/CODEOWNERS b/CODEOWNERS
index b92152c7348..0efb6b1ac47 100644
--- a/CODEOWNERS
+++ b/CODEOWNERS
@@ -2,3 +2,5 @@
 
 # release configuration
 
+/.release/                              @hashicorp/release-engineering
+/.github/workflows/build.yml            @hashicorp/release-engineering
diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
index 0918b4a93f4..f7d6cdd08cf 100644
--- a/LICENSE
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -1,33 +1,32 @@
 License text copyright (c) 2020 MariaDB Corporation Ab, All Rights Reserved.
-"Business Source License" is a trademark of MariaDB Corporation Ab.
+“Business Source License” is a trademark of MariaDB Corporation Ab.
 
 Parameters
 
 Licensor:             HashiCorp, Inc.
-Licensed Work:        Packer Version 1.10.0 or later. The Licensed Work is (c) 2023
-                      HashiCorp, Inc.
+Licensed Work:        Packer 1.10.0. The Licensed Work is (c) 2023 HashiCorp, Inc.
 Additional Use Grant: You may make production use of the Licensed Work, provided
                       Your use does not include offering the Licensed Work to third
                       parties on a hosted or embedded basis in order to compete with 
-                      HashiCorp's paid version(s) of the Licensed Work. For purposes 
+                      HashiCorp’s paid version(s) of the Licensed Work. For purposes 
                       of this license:
 
-                      A "competitive offering" is a Product that is offered to third
+                      A “competitive offering” is a Product that is offered to third
                       parties on a paid basis, including through paid support 
                       arrangements, that significantly overlaps with the capabilities 
-                      of HashiCorp's paid version(s) of the Licensed Work. If Your 
+                      of HashiCorp’s paid version(s) of the Licensed Work. If Your 
                       Product is not a competitive offering when You first make it 
                       generally available, it will not become a competitive offering
                       later due to HashiCorp releasing a new version of the Licensed 
                       Work with additional capabilities. In addition, Products that 
                       are not provided on a paid basis are not competitive.
 
-                      "Product" means software that is offered to end users to manage 
+                      “Product” means software that is offered to end users to manage 
                       in their own environments or offered as a service on a hosted 
                       basis.
 
-                      "Embedded" means including the source code or executable code 
-                      from the Licensed Work in a competitive offering. "Embedded" 
+                      “Embedded” means including the source code or executable code 
+                      from the Licensed Work in a competitive offering. “Embedded” 
                       also means packaging the competitive offering in such a way 
                       that the Licensed Work must be accessed or downloaded for the 
                       competitive offering to operate.
@@ -86,7 +85,7 @@ Licensor or its affiliates (provided that you may use a trademark or logo of
 Licensor as expressly required by this License).
 
 TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE LICENSED WORK IS PROVIDED ON
-AN "AS IS" BASIS. LICENSOR HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS,
+AN “AS IS” BASIS. LICENSOR HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS,
 EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING (WITHOUT LIMITATION) WARRANTIES OF
 MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND
 TITLE.
diff --git a/packer/plugin-getter/plugins.go b/packer/plugin-getter/plugins.go
index 29b34da1c04..d6f52ebcc22 100644
--- a/packer/plugin-getter/plugins.go
+++ b/packer/plugin-getter/plugins.go
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ func (pr Requirement) ListInstallations(opts ListInstallationsOptions) (InstallL
 				continue
 			}
 
-			res.InsertSortedUniq(&Installation{
+			res = append(res, &Installation{
 				BinaryPath: path,
 				Version:    pluginVersionStr,
 			})
@@ -206,22 +206,6 @@ func (l InstallList) String() string {
 	return v.String()
 }
 
-// InsertSortedUniq inserts the installation in the right spot in the list by
-// comparing the version lexicographically.
-// A Duplicate version will replace any already present version.
-func (l *InstallList) InsertSortedUniq(install *Installation) {
-	pos := sort.Search(len(*l), func(i int) bool { return (*l)[i].Version >= install.Version })
-	if len(*l) > pos && (*l)[pos].Version == install.Version {
-		// already detected, let's ignore any new foundings, this way any plugin
-		// close to cwd or the packer exec takes precedence; this will be better
-		// for plugin development/tests.
-		return
-	}
-	(*l) = append((*l), nil)
-	copy((*l)[pos+1:], (*l)[pos:])
-	(*l)[pos] = install
-}
-
 // Installation describes a plugin installation
 type Installation struct {
 	// path to where binary is installed, if installed.
diff --git a/packer/plugin-getter/plugins_test.go b/packer/plugin-getter/plugins_test.go
index 513f2c4993b..e13f8cb3825 100644
--- a/packer/plugin-getter/plugins_test.go
+++ b/packer/plugin-getter/plugins_test.go
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ var (
 
 	pluginFolderTwo = filepath.Join("testdata", "plugins_2")
 
+	pluginFolderThree = filepath.Join("testdata", "plugins_3")
+
 	pluginFolderWrongChecksums = filepath.Join("testdata", "wrong_checksums")
 )
 
@@ -106,8 +108,8 @@ func TestPlugin_ListInstallations(t *testing.T) {
 					BinaryPath: filepath.Join(pluginFolderOne, "github.com", "hashicorp", "amazon", "packer-plugin-amazon_v1.2.5_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe"),
 				},
 				{
-					BinaryPath: filepath.Join(pluginFolderOne, "github.com", "hashicorp", "google", "packer-plugin-google_v4.5.6_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe"),
 					Version:    "v4.5.6",
+					BinaryPath: filepath.Join(pluginFolderOne, "github.com", "hashicorp", "google", "packer-plugin-google_v4.5.6_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe"),
 				},
 				{
 					Version:    "v4.5.7",
@@ -117,10 +119,22 @@ func TestPlugin_ListInstallations(t *testing.T) {
 					Version:    "v4.5.8",
 					BinaryPath: filepath.Join(pluginFolderOne, "github.com", "hashicorp", "google", "packer-plugin-google_v4.5.8_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe"),
 				},
+				{
+					Version:    "v4.5.6",
+					BinaryPath: filepath.Join(pluginFolderTwo, "github.com", "hashicorp", "google", "packer-plugin-google_v4.5.6_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe"),
+				},
 				{
 					Version:    "v4.5.9",
 					BinaryPath: filepath.Join(pluginFolderTwo, "github.com", "hashicorp", "google", "packer-plugin-google_v4.5.9_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe"),
 				},
+				{
+					Version:    "v4.5.6",
+					BinaryPath: filepath.Join(pluginFolderTwo, "github.com", "hashicorp copy", "google", "packer-plugin-google_v4.5.6_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe"),
+				},
+				{
+					Version:    "v4.5.9",
+					BinaryPath: filepath.Join(pluginFolderTwo, "github.com", "hashicorp copy", "google", "packer-plugin-google_v4.5.9_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe"),
+				},
 			},
 		},
 
@@ -188,6 +202,10 @@ func TestPlugin_ListInstallations(t *testing.T) {
 					Version:    "v1.2.3",
 					BinaryPath: filepath.Join(pluginFolderOne, "github.com", "hashicorp", "amazon", "packer-plugin-amazon_v1.2.3_x5.0_darwin_amd64"),
 				},
+				{
+					Version:    "v1.2.3",
+					BinaryPath: filepath.Join(pluginFolderOne, "github.com", "hashicorp", "amazon", "packer-plugin-amazon_v1.2.3_x5.1_darwin_amd64"),
+				},
 				{
 					Version:    "v1.2.4",
 					BinaryPath: filepath.Join(pluginFolderOne, "github.com", "hashicorp", "amazon", "packer-plugin-amazon_v1.2.4_x5.0_darwin_amd64"),
@@ -276,12 +294,48 @@ func TestPlugin_ListInstallations(t *testing.T) {
 					Version:    "v4.5.8",
 					BinaryPath: filepath.Join(pluginFolderOne, "github.com", "hashicorp", "google", "packer-plugin-google_v4.5.8_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe"),
 				},
+				{
+					Version:    "v4.5.6",
+					BinaryPath: filepath.Join(pluginFolderTwo, "github.com", "hashicorp", "google", "packer-plugin-google_v4.5.6_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe"),
+				},
 				{
 					Version:    "v4.5.9",
 					BinaryPath: filepath.Join(pluginFolderTwo, "github.com", "hashicorp", "google", "packer-plugin-google_v4.5.9_x5.0_windows_amd64.exe"),
 				},
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			"test nil identifier - multiple plugins with same version",
+			fields{
+				Identifier: "",
+			},
+			ListInstallationsOptions{
+				[]string{
+					pluginFolderThree,
+				},
+				BinaryInstallationOptions{
+					APIVersionMajor: "5", APIVersionMinor: "0",
+					OS: "linux", ARCH: "amd64",
+					Checksummers: []Checksummer{
+						{
+							Type: "sha256",
+							Hash: sha256.New(),
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			false,
+			[]*Installation{
+				{
+					Version:    "v1.2.5",
+					BinaryPath: filepath.Join(pluginFolderThree, "github.com", "hashicorp", "alazon", "packer-plugin-alazon_v1.2.5_x5.0_linux_amd64"),
+				},
+				{
+					Version:    "v1.2.5",
+					BinaryPath: filepath.Join(pluginFolderThree, "github.com", "hashicorp", "amazon", "packer-plugin-amazon_v1.2.5_x5.0_linux_amd64"),
+				},
+			},
+		},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/packer/plugin-getter/testdata/plugins_3/github.com/hashicorp/alazon/packer-plugin-alazon_v1.2.5_x5.0_linux_amd64 b/packer/plugin-getter/testdata/plugins_3/github.com/hashicorp/alazon/packer-plugin-alazon_v1.2.5_x5.0_linux_amd64
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7813681f5b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packer/plugin-getter/testdata/plugins_3/github.com/hashicorp/alazon/packer-plugin-alazon_v1.2.5_x5.0_linux_amd64
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+5
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packer/plugin-getter/testdata/plugins_3/github.com/hashicorp/alazon/packer-plugin-alazon_v1.2.5_x5.0_linux_amd64_SHA256SUM b/packer/plugin-getter/testdata/plugins_3/github.com/hashicorp/alazon/packer-plugin-alazon_v1.2.5_x5.0_linux_amd64_SHA256SUM
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2ef9d7d4c35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packer/plugin-getter/testdata/plugins_3/github.com/hashicorp/alazon/packer-plugin-alazon_v1.2.5_x5.0_linux_amd64_SHA256SUM
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ef2d127de37b942baad06145e54b0c619a1f22327b2ebbcfbec78f5564afe39d
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packer/plugin-getter/testdata/plugins_3/github.com/hashicorp/amazon/packer-plugin-amazon_v1.2.5_x5.0_linux_amd64 b/packer/plugin-getter/testdata/plugins_3/github.com/hashicorp/amazon/packer-plugin-amazon_v1.2.5_x5.0_linux_amd64
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7813681f5b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packer/plugin-getter/testdata/plugins_3/github.com/hashicorp/amazon/packer-plugin-amazon_v1.2.5_x5.0_linux_amd64
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+5
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packer/plugin-getter/testdata/plugins_3/github.com/hashicorp/amazon/packer-plugin-amazon_v1.2.5_x5.0_linux_amd64_SHA256SUM b/packer/plugin-getter/testdata/plugins_3/github.com/hashicorp/amazon/packer-plugin-amazon_v1.2.5_x5.0_linux_amd64_SHA256SUM
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2ef9d7d4c35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packer/plugin-getter/testdata/plugins_3/github.com/hashicorp/amazon/packer-plugin-amazon_v1.2.5_x5.0_linux_amd64_SHA256SUM
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+ef2d127de37b942baad06145e54b0c619a1f22327b2ebbcfbec78f5564afe39d
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/version/VERSION b/version/VERSION
index 169f19b4901..81c871de46b 100644
--- a/version/VERSION
+++ b/version/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1.11.0
\ No newline at end of file
+1.10.0
diff --git a/version/version.go b/version/version.go
index a7eec6fd4bc..2df08d2d71b 100644
--- a/version/version.go
+++ b/version/version.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ var (
 	// A pre-release marker for the version can also be specified (e.g -dev). If this is omitted
 	// The main version number that is being run at the moment.
 
-	Version = "1.11.0"
+	Version = "1.10.0"
 
 	// A pre-release marker for the version. If this is "" (empty string)
 	// then it means that it is a final release. Otherwise, this is a pre-release
diff --git a/website/data/plugins-manifest.json b/website/data/plugins-manifest.json
index 5a3c0034ad6..525d5ede175 100644
--- a/website/data/plugins-manifest.json
+++ b/website/data/plugins-manifest.json
@@ -22,13 +22,6 @@
     "version": "latest",
     "sourceBranch": "main"
   },
-  {
-    "title": "Git",
-    "path": "git",
-    "repo": "ethanmdavidson/packer-plugin-git",
-    "version": "latest",
-    "sourceBranch": "main"
-  },
   {
     "title": "Gridscale",
     "path": "gridscale",
@@ -52,14 +45,6 @@
     "pluginTier": "community",
     "version": "latest"
   },
-  {
-    "title": "Linode",
-    "path": "linode",
-    "repo": "linode/packer-plugin-linode",
-    "pluginTier": "verified",
-    "version": "latest",
-    "isHcpPackerReady": true
-  },
   {
     "title": "Libvirt",
     "path": "libvirt",
@@ -90,13 +75,6 @@
     "pluginTier": "verified",
     "isHcpPackerReady": true
   },
-  {
-    "title": "Parallels",
-    "path": "parallels",
-    "repo": "parallels/packer-plugin-parallels",
-    "version": "latest",
-    "pluginTier": "verified"
-  },
   {
     "title": "Scaleway",
     "path": "scaleway",
@@ -104,20 +82,6 @@
     "pluginTier": "verified",
     "version": "latest"
   },
-  {
-    "title": "SSH Key",
-    "path": "sshkey",
-    "repo": "ivoronin/packer-plugin-sshkey",
-    "pluginTier": "community",
-    "version": "latest"
-  },
-  {
-    "title": "Tart",
-    "path": "tart",
-    "repo": "cirruslabs/packer-plugin-tart",
-    "pluginTier": "community",
-    "version": "latest"
-  },
   {
     "title": "UCloud",
     "path": "ucloud",