The game-console marketing race kicks into high gear Thursday with dueling promotional events from Microsoft and Nintendo that include someone eating a life-size GameCube replica made of Spam, cat food and chocolate syrup. Microsoft will launch Xbox Odyssey, a traveling tent show in which the software maker will offer one of the biggest public demonstrations yet of its upcoming Xbox game console. Open to all, the event will be held in a giant inflatable tent outfitted with more than 50 Xbox units, allowing players to try out games such as "Halo" and "Dead or Alive 3." The Odyssey tent will be pitched in San Francisco through the weekend, after which it moves on to Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and other cities. The console is scheduled to go on sale Nov. 15.
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