Yeti: How a Google game console could take on Xbox, PlayStation, and Steam

It's called "Yeti," and it's the code name attached to an intriguing rumor about Google's gaming ambitions that emerged this week. The rumor suggests the company is developing its own cloud-based gaming service and home console. As The Information reported, the so-called service would stream games into users' homes from remote servers, allowing users to play on a Chromecast or a new console made by Google. A game console from Google could be a big deal, akin to how Microsoft transformed the gaming business after launching the Xbox in 2001. Still, this week's reporting offered scant details how Google's gaming service might work, what its hardware might look like, and when we'll see the fruits of these efforts.