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Deck runs a compatibility layer called Proton [1]. A game does not need native Linux support to run on the Deck.

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proton_(software)

Most games supported/available on the Deck use a Windows API emulation layer.

Wine, thus Proton, is not an emulator.

I was expecting this reaction, of course, but that's why I specifically wrote "Windows API emulation layer", which it definitely is.

The recursive acronym name was chosen first and foremost because it's funny, but also to make the point that it's not emulating all of Windows, and definitely isn't something like dosbox or Dolphin in terms of implementation strategy. This is true, but we shouldn't allow it to break our language, no matter how much we love the clever meme!

At that point I would just call it a reimplementation instead of emulation.

Proton includes DXVK, and that is a high-level emulator for DirectX by most definitions. Wine isn't an emulator because it doesn't have to be.

To add to the other replies, interesting to note War Thunder itself has had native Linux support since before the Steam Deck. I think it was mostly half-assed/broken until they implemented Vulkan. Now it's flawless in my experience.