With Google lurking, gaming has never been more critical to Microsoft

Google has been a gigantic thorn in Microsoft's side for many, many years, but things are about to get a whole lot worse for Redmond.
Google has been chipping away at Microsoft's software empire for many years now, with Android in particular exploding as a software ecosystem to rival Windows itself. Android handsets armed with Google Play are a dominating force on mobile devices, while Microsoft's efforts in the space fell spectacularly flat.
Google has been leveraging its Android app ecosystem on its increasingly popular line of cheap Chromebook laptops. Chrome OS loaded with web apps and, now, a large array of Android apps is proving problematic for Windows in a casual computing context, particularly in businesses and schools who see Chromebooks as a cheaper alternative to a Windows laptop, strangled by legacy code. Google has been incredibly adept at exploiting Microsoft where it is weak, notably with the Chrome web browser, which has come to dominate Windows too.
Even Microsoft can't ignore the rise of Chrome OS.
There are a few notable absences on Chrome OS when it comes to usability and versatility. It's often missing more powerful applications, such as video editing and programming packages, but for Windows consumers, it's also missing games. The vast legacy of Windows is one of Microsoft's greatest strengths, granting it thousands of quality apps and, vitally, games spanning across decades and different hardware levels. Even if you're running a potato PC, your device likely has better quality core games than the latest Android phone, and especially the latest Chromebook. But all of that could be set to change.

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