Maybe I'm a bit out of touch, but, it seems to me that the role of "publisher" in today's world should have changed far more than it has. I would imagine it to very much include digital publishing as well.
I always found it odd that online storefronts (like MS' Xbox Live and Sony's PS Store) still require games have third party publishers.
Really hope EA will bring Crysis 2 back to Steam and of course release BF3 on Steam. It will definitely bring EA more money!