Mandatory (company)
| Formerly | CraveOnline Media |
|---|---|
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Media |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Founder | AtomicOnline (publishing branch of Evolve Media) |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Lifestyle platform, entertainment websites |
| Owner | Evolve Media, LLC |
Number of employees | Unknown |
Mandatory (previously known as CraveOnline Media) is a lifestyle platform headquartered in Los Angeles, with additional sales offices located in New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco. This site, owned by the media firm Evolve Media, LLC, primarily caters to a male-lifestyle audience while progressively broadening its content to appeal to a wider range of viewers. It manages nine distinct websites and collaborates with other partners to deliver varied content. Since February 2021, the platform has been accessible exclusively in English.
History
CraveOnline.com was initially launched by AtomicOnline, the publishing branch of Evolve Media, toward the end of 2004. It quickly established itself as a prominent men's website and was referenced in the 2009 publication The Man's Book: The Essential Guide for the Modern Man by Thomas Fink. Additionally, AskMen.com commended CraveOnline for its successful integration of entertainment and lifestyle topics.
In March 2013, CraveOnline rolled out a 3D advertising cube designed for mobile users and later inaugurated its own production studio in May 2013 to boost its content development capabilities. The platform underwent a relaunch in August 2015, shifting its emphasis to encompass a wider spectrum of culture and lifestyle beyond just music. By March 2018, CraveOnline rebranded itself as Mandatory, adopting the motto "Laugh. Learn. Do Some Good." That same year, Evolve Media carried out workforce reductions in response to difficult conditions within the media industry.
Owned or associated websites
- Film and Television: ComingSoon.net, SuperHeroHype.com, ShockTillYouDrop.com
- Gaming: ActionTrip, GameRevolution, PlayStation LifeStyle
- Sports: HockeysFuture.com, Sherdog, WrestleZone