Umbran has made his distaste for all things computerish at the gaming table known on more than one occasion.
(And yes Umbran - you roll the brand into a subsidiary corp. I'm a lawyer - I know the distinction.)
Given a choice between retaining Umbran (and others who think like him) as customers and fellow players and having a passionate group of writers and game designers who eat and sleep RPGs because it is what they love to do (not to mention a corporate culture like BioWare's which puts their customers first and the longterm interests of their product lines foremost in all that they do) - I'd take BioWare as an owner happily - warts and all.
Is this at all likely? No. But beyond the realm of possibility? No it isn't
that far-fetched.
Do I think an interactive entertainment company like - say - Vivendi Universal or Atari could hopelessly screw up D&D? I most surely do. I'd go farther and say that I expect most software publishers are not adequately familiar with the ins and outs of PnP game publishing to manage a brand like D&D properly.
There are, however, a very few game developers whose intimate familiarity with the subject matter and of system design are well able to do so. BioWare is one of them, in my opinion.
YMMV. It's a wish list discussion - much ado about mostly nothing.
I do expect at some point, however, that there will be an acquisition by a software company of the D&D brand and rights if the opportunity presents itself. It's a natrual fit and a crown jewel with evergreen features. It just makes sense.
