The secret behind Microsoft's bizarre Xbox One promo, which saw an enormous Xbox One installed in downtown Vancouver, Canada, has been revealed. As Kotaku reports, the giant next-gen console opened up yesterday, exposing Vancouverites to a horde of zombies promoting the Xbox-exclusive launch title Dead Rising 3. The stunt was widely covered by public videos, photos, and Vines hitting the internet shortly after.

Inside the zombies' former home, a bank of Xbox One demo units was awaiting passers by, offering an early chance to play Dead Rising 3, Killer Instinct, Ryse and Forza 5. There were also make-up artists on standby to transform people into zombies, and photographers providing the opportunity to receive a custom-made Dead Rising 3 print starring themselves.

The Vancouver event was perhaps the most high-impact marketing stunt attempted so far in the lead-up to the Xbox One launch on November 22nd. Expect advertising efforts to ramp up significantly in the coming weeks, especially on November 15th, when Sony's rival console PlayStation 4 is due to be released.