I don't think it's just motivation. Video games are different from regular software also in that they do explain their UI to newcomers, whereas explaining anything is anathema to modern UI design. That's IMO a big problem, and why I find myself liking UIs in video games more than in "work" software.

Some webapps offer videogame-style guides on the first launch - I'm thinking of e.g. UI tours that highlight elements and tell you what they do. It's a good pattern.