That's not really what everyone means.

However the recent success of gaming-related distros such as SteamOS and Bazzite seem to be succeeding where Usability-focused distros such as Mint, Pop!, and Zorin couldn't get deep traction

This should be a lesson about providing a product versus providing a technology.

Ubuntu is "like Windows but not" which is mostly relevant to people boycotting Windows. Steam Deck is "a gamebox" which people who already like games might want to buy. Bazzite is "a thing that turns your computer into a game box."

No, but that is what they will ever get from OEMs selling PCs at computer stores used by normies.

Also lets not forget those distros play Windows games, because hardly any studio bothers with native Linux games.