Already the gaming situation is at least on a par with that of Android, whose Android Market is two years old. Microsoft has a long way to go to catch up to the strong gaming presence of Apple's App Store, but if sales are strong and if Microsoft continues to enhance the development tools, that should be only a matter of time. Issues with the Windows Phone Marketplace, from poor screenshots to miscategorized titles, could be rectified relatively easily. Xbox Live integration is basic right now, but Microsoft has lots of opportunities to introduce expanded features and integration with the Xbox 360 console and Games for Windows Live.

This is as strong a gaming presence as I've seen for a brand-new phone platform, but Microsoft is competing against well-established markets and has to make rapid improvements to keep the gaming market healthy on Windows Phone 7. The way forward is clear. If I may be so bold as to create a checklist for Microsoft (in no particular order):

If Microsoft can do these things over the next six months or so, in addition to selling a good number of phones, the company could easily have the premier mobile-games platform. If not, it will likely concede the market to Apple. The bad news for Microsoft is that it has its work cut out for it. The good news is that it's off to a good start, and Windows Phone 7 doesn't have any problems that can't be fixed with a few major, rapid software updates.