Rockstar Head Talks EA Partnering, Spiritual Healing

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."