Rockstar Head Talks EA Partnering, Spiritual Healing

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Following Electronic Arts' multiple attempts to acquire Take-Two Interactive and subsidiary Rockstar Games, Rockstar founder Sam Houser has admitted that he sees potential in a pairing with EA.

One of the chief minds behind Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series, Houser told The Wall Street Journal that he views EA CEO John Riccitiello as "the real deal" and has no problems being a "much smaller fish in much bigger pond." In fact, Houser claims that EA turned him down for a position towards the latter half of the 1990s.

That said, Houser is apparently "unlikely" to run subject material past EA in the event the companies form some type of business arrangement.

EA initially made a $2 billion offer to acquire Grand Theft Auto and BioShock publisher Take-Two back in March, and received approval for a $1 billion loan last week. Take-Two said that it would be open to discussing business agreements following the release of Grand Theft Auto IV on April 29.

Houser further revealed that during the production of Grand Theft Auto IV, Rockstar brought a spiritual healer into its offices after two employees committed suicide. While neither death is believed to be work-related, the healer performed an exorcism-type ritual and noted that an empty desk gave her "pretty strong readings."

Chris Faylor was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
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    May 12, 2008 12:40 PM

    [deleted]

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      May 12, 2008 12:41 PM

      srsly.

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      May 12, 2008 12:49 PM

      [deleted]

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      May 12, 2008 1:46 PM

      There's no mention of whose idea it was so it may have been something one or two employees wanted which the company okay'd (why not if it helps people get over it, I guess). Or it could've been something that upper management wanted. Who knows.

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      May 12, 2008 2:04 PM

      Well I don't see that doing any harm, so if it might help go for it. Weird that 2 people suicide :(

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      May 12, 2008 3:46 PM

      Yeah, that is really odd. A spiritual healer? What in the hell?

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      May 12, 2008 6:35 PM

      kind of random and off topic as well right?

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      May 12, 2008 8:03 PM

      yeah... two employees committed suicide while working on the game? Thats a little disturbing.

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