HN user
How far along is running a regular linux desktop os with working ui on an m1?
The total number of people who will be doing this will number in the hundreds. Not to diminish what an interesting achievement it is.
How likely is this to make some kind of stride in the macOS gaming world?
It doesn't make any strides unfortunately.
Perhaps some kind of "headless" Linux VM
Linux narrowly supports the Steam Deck's goals. It doesn't make sense to use on a device like a Mac.
Can someone with more knowledge than me explain if that is feasible in the coming months/years?
An end user is best served by Parallels. Overall, it doesn't make sense to run Windows-only games on a Mac.