Yes, you can run a game from a USB drive and play it on ChromeOS.
Yes, you can run a game from a USB drive and play it on ChromeOS.
You can launch Doom 95 from a USB drive. I used this method in high school while in the library. The librarian got really upset and shouted about installing games on those devices. When we mentioned it was just USB from our MP3 players, the tech head didn’t care. He’d go back to his office a few times before we explained it again. Lol
Only Windows can run Windows executables. Similarly, Linux-based operating systems in the PC world can't natively handle Android games, even though both types of OS are available. The issue lies in how each system interprets file instructions. Remember, it's not the processor that runs your program—it's the operating system that does. When you launch an executable on Windows, the OS fetches the commands. It recognizes this as a window application rather than a command prompt, and requests a user-friendly interface with features like drag-and-drop, resizable windows, and full-screen options. The controls should remain functional, not hidden or disabled. This is crucial for tasks such as saving, loading, accessing data, using DirectX, moving or locating windows, etc. (The list goes on—truly extensive). If it weren't for this OS-level handling, implementing interpreters for platforms like MacOS and Linux would be far more complex. WINE, available on Linux since 1993, still functions, albeit imperfectly today. The same applies when running Windows apps on Linux. There exist Android emulators such as Android Emulator in Visual Studio 2016 and Bluestacks. This is why Windows can support applications like Windows Media Player, Foobar, iTunes, etc., and play MP3 files without issues. In contrast, when you open a DocX file in Notepad or an MP3 in Notepad, the results are often corrupted because the software doesn't understand the format. Likewise, dropping an MP3 into Notepad produces gibberish instead of playing it. Essentially, every program on your system runs based on files assigned to it, and what actually executes is Windows itself, managed by your processor. This shared layer applies across all operating systems.
It seems unlikely the device will have sufficient strength for gaming. However, if you're willing to wait, you could install Linux on a Chromebook and try playing TF2 there.