As the launch of the video game neared, more eyes than ever were following the Jays across Canadian broadcaster Sportsnet’s national television and digital platforms.

In pre-game Blue Jays broadcasts, the in-game announcers presented the MLB '13 The Show Simulation. Using video game simulated stat boards and footage, the ‘Player of The Game’ was predicted, engaging fans in a whole new way.

In the 8th inning, a follow up stat-board presented the actual player’s results versus the pre-game MLB '13 The Show Simulation. This provided a unique platform for the game to drive real-life debate amongst Sportsnet commentators. It also provided a forum for fans to jump in on the conversation via social media using the #MLBTheShow13 hashtag.

In addition, the program lived digitally with a significant and carefully timed presence on Sportsnet.ca with custom MLB '13 The Show ad units ‘predicting the series’ with video highlights and detailed stats.

The campaign in-game content was a grand success. By cutting video game content within real game content we showed how far the baseball video game had evolved. We further defined its authenticity by generating lively debates from the in-game announcers on whether the simulation was accurate. Through this campaign we kept the game at the top of the baseball category and sales are up 45% over the past two years.