TV videogames exploit the interactive aspect of gadgets. With the current batch of Internet TV set-top boxes, and the Internet in general, you have email, web surfing, newsgroups, chat, and webpage building. With TV videogames, you have, well, have videogames. The interactive aspect of TV videogames when coupled with the Internet can be explosive. Plus could be through online community building.
People have a sense of wanting to belong or to be part of something.
Users would come to Geocities and other website hosts to set up free webpages. You have both the interactive aspect of developing the webpage and you have the sense of community by sharing your webpage with the world. With games, you have people's instinct for competition and winning even if the only prize is getting the top score. People see all of their names on a winners' board. Sony would do this by developing games or piggybacking the Internet onto a popular videogame.