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DXMD trophy Fresh out of the Package "I once thought I could save the world... now look at it"
— Spoilers for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided follow!
DXMD trophy Fresh out of the Package

"We make tomorrow look like yesterday."
— VersaLife's motto

The VersaLife Corporation is a large multinational company active since the 1970s. It specializes in pharmaceuticals, bioengineering and nanotechnology. VersaLife is a subsidiary of the mammoth firm Page Industries, whose owner is Bob Page.[1] Its headquarters is located in Hong Kong[2], and has other major facilities such as in Roccasecca Beach, off the coast of San Francisco, USA.

History[]

The company was founded in 1976 as Versatile Life Solutions.[3] In 1993, one of VersaLife's subsidiaries, White Helix Labs, performed a series of experiments on newborn babies, likely as part of an early attempt to develop augmentation technology. Adam Jensen was the only survivor of this series of experiments, thought lost when his birth parents burnt down the labs.

Page Picus Daily Standard

VersaLife's new owner, Bob Page of Page Industries

The years prior to 2000 were described as VersaLife's "golden age", until it went into a sharp decline.[1] Despite this, however, in 2008 it was one of several major biotechnology companies to participate in biotech research at the controversial Omega Ranch.[4] VersaLife was eventually delisted from the NYSE as it continued to fall in value. This all changed in 2016 when the failing pharmaceutical giant was purchased by the holding company, Page Industries. VersaLife did not start making a profit until it had been acquired by the larger conglomerate.

In 2020, Darrow Industries sold the patent to produce the anti-rejection drug Neuropozyne exclusively to VersaLife.[1] Due to the rise in popularity of mechanical augmentations up to the mid 2020s, VersaLife made billions of credits through sales of the drug.

By 2052, VersaLife was one of the world's largest and most powerful corporations, thanks to Page's ruthlessness in pursuing profits and maintaining corporate secrecy and strict compartmentalization, even in its most secret departments. Its equity (value of the company after substracting liabilities) at that stage exceeded a trillion credits.[5]

Although the corporation was one of the few to invest heavily in basic research across multiple science disciplines,[6] it retains the results for its own purposes, not sharing them outside, even with the medical community.[7] Part of the reason for secrecy is the use of unethical human experiments in company research. Although subjects are volunteers, they are subjected to tests of various medical technologies, such as nano-augmented transcription, which take a severe toll on their mental state, cause cancerous growths, and are routinely threatened with murder by karkian if they attempt to blow the whistle.[8]

Other unethical practices included the restrictions on manufacturing Ambrosia. It's considered particularly noticeable, as the company could rake in record profits if it was sold on the public market.[9] It isn't a surprise, as VersaLife was also responsible for synthesizing the Gray Death nanovirus, thus controlling both the disease and the cure.[10]

The company also engaged in a significant amount of smuggling, to get around export restrictions in Europe and the United States.[11] Finally, it boasted the best security in the world, ready to murder anyone who steals corporate secrets, such as Max Chen's predecessor.[12]

Activities[]

Neuropozyne[]

Lesserevils

Neuropozyne, a product of VersaLife

VersaLife's pharmaceutical products include paracetamol, a popular painkiller, as well as Neuropozyne. Since VersaLife is the only company producing Neuropozyne, it remains extremely expensive. Other alternatives to the drug exist, such as the relatively inexpensive Riezene. However, VersaLife maintains strict control of the patent for the anti-rejection drug which scares away competitors.[13] The company continues to produce Neuropozyne even following the Aug Incident and the subsequent collapse of the augmentation industry. However, sales of the drug decline and the stocks of the company fall in response. VersaLife's CEO reassures its stockholders that the company will continue to perform well regardless. Page claims that "cutting edge research into infectious diseases and genome-based cures should turn a profit very soon".[14]

Hyron Project[]

Up until 2027, VersaLife is involved in secret, unethical research related to the Hyron Project. The company has a number of employees stationed at the Rifleman Bank Station who are attempting to find compatible Hyron drone test subjects.[15] This research is put to a stop following a leak of its existence by the Juggernaut Collective. However, VersaLife's involvement in the research is not made public, and instead Belltower Associates takes the fall for the scandal.

The Orchid[]

VersaLife's Orchid Project aims to find a way to remove the gene in humans that causes augmentation rejection. However, it is only useful as a way to prevent rejection if the removed gene is then replaced by another one. If the gene is removed without a replacement, the Orchid is almost always lethal to anyone it is administered to.

Disease cures[]

In the following years, VersaLife develops a cure for AIDS by utilizing nanite robots. An initial breakthrough occurs in 2027 when AIDS is successfully cured in lab mice.[16] By the 2050s, a cure for the disease in humans is found, along with treatments for other viral infections such as the Century Flu.[17]

Nanotechnology[]

An information flyer for the vaccine Ambrosia.

By 2052, VersaLife is a commercial behemoth, being worth approximately 1 trillion credits, with Maggie Chow as one of its directors. It specializes in nanotechnology, making several products involving nanites, such as nano-augmentations and nanotech swords. VersaLife is the sole source of the augmentation canisters and upgrade canisters found during the 2050s. It is responsible for developing multiple genetically modified organisms known as transgenics. These organisms include greasels, karkians and grays; although grays are simply a resurrected Illuminati experiment that was deemed unsuccessful when first performed.[18] In order to create these products, VersaLife uses its Universal Constructor, one of the few in existence. In accordance with Majestic 12's plans for world domination, VersaLife also secretly produces the fatal Gray Death nano-virus as well as its vaccine, Ambrosia. As the source of both the virus and the only working cure, anyone susceptible to the virus is effectively at Majestic 12's mercy. Ambrosia is not a permanent cure, but rather only a temporary measure. By selectively increasing and decreasing the intensity of plague outbreaks while keeping the cure under tight rations, Majestic 12 is able to foster social disorder by dissolving the standard social classes.

Facilities[]

VersaLife's headquarters is based in Hong Kong from between 2027 and 2052. This building is composed of three major sections: the Data Entry facility, the Pacific Rim Research facility and the Nanotech Containment facility. The only part of the HQ open to the public is the Data Entry facility. All other sections are restricted to authorized personnel with the appropriate clearance. The VersaLife Corporation places high emphasis on security, to the point that even the receptionist in the Data Entry Facility will kill anyone who threatens the company. Very little trust is placed in regular employees. One staff member claims that he was held at gunpoint while performing a task for the corporation.[19] Others are apparently intentionally infected with the Gray Death in order to reduce the risk of sensitive information being leaked.[20] Some staff members, appearing to be regular Data Entry personnel, are in fact spies planted by Majestic 12 to oversee these regular employees.[21] Certain workers, due to greed, disgruntlement or other reasons, can be persuaded to betray the firm, such as Richard Hundley, the shift supervisor in the Data Entry Facility.

VersaLife has a research facility at the Shackleton glacier in Antarctica. The Collapse cuts the base and its crew off from the world. The crew survive for some time, but are eventually overrun by cold, food shortage and transgenics. The transgenics adapt to the environment. The greasels and karkians roam wild, while the sentient grays are taken into care by JC Denton, and become the guardians of his sanctuary.

VersaLife's subdivisionary, White Helix Labs, was located in Twisted Cedar, Michigan. There they supposedly studied childhood genetic diseases. In actuality, they were conducting horrible experiments on infants to create an immunity to Darrow Deficiency Syndrome. Adam Jensen was their only survivor and success, before his real parents (two of the researchers working there) set fire to the building. The lab was destroyed, along with all research files and employee records.

VersaLife also has a research facility in New Mexico. Not much is known about this except its where they started their research on the Grey, under the guise of the "bovine manipulation project". These experiments were then moved to their Shackleton facility.[22]

Employees[]

2027[]

Employees in 2027

2052[]

Hong Kong employees in 2052
  • Maggie Chow (Director)
  • Harrison (Supervisor)
  • Richard Hundley (Shift supervisor)
  • Destiny Savannah (Receptionist)
  • John Smith (Employee)
  • Tom Bunch (Data entry personnel)
  • Louis Elban (Data entry personnel)
  • Sarah Stern (Data entry personnel/Undercover Internal Security)
  • Mike Morgan (Data entry personnel)
  • Gary Burkett (Employee)
  • Trellaine (Physics researcher)
  • Vargas (Psionics researcher))
  • Arthur Donovan (Biotechnology researcher/Series P project managers)
  • M. Lundquist (Genetics researcher)
  • Bates (Computer researcher)
  • Michalopolis (Nanotechnology researcher)
  • Kohl (Doctor)

Products[]

Paracetamol VL

VersaLife's paracetamol

VersaLife designs and manufactures many medical products, including:

Notes[]

  • VersaLife is one of two organizations that is mentioned and appears in all five Deus Ex games (Deus Ex, Deus Ex: Invisible War, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Deus Ex: The Fall and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided). The other one is the Illuminati.
  • VersaLife owns a space station as mentioned in an e-mail found in the Picus Communications building during Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Pictures and a blueprint of the space station can be found in VersaLife's vault in the Palisade Bank.
  • VersaLife, like almost all corporations, eventually folds during the Collapse.

Trivia[]

  • VersaLife had a website, www.versalife.com (archived copy).
  • VersaLife's motto can be heard in one of the episodes of the first Season of Max Headroom, by the old Australian punk hacker.
  • The USA Network TV show Suits mentions a company called Versalife in S04E12, which is a client of Pearson Specter.

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Bob Page - Anatomy of a Prodigy
  2. Deus Ex: The Fall (2027); Deus Ex (2052)
  3. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided loading screen
  4. The Road to Here: Timeline to Augmentation, entry for year 2008
  5. MJ12 Hong Kong Psionic Researcher: "Scientific progress depends upon collaboration."
    MJ12 Hong Kong Physics Researcher: "Maybe you should cross your legs, hum to yourself, and try to read my mind."
    MJ12 Hong Kong Psionic Researcher: "The sharing of data between departments should be automatic."
    MJ12 Hong Kong Physics Researcher: "VersaLife did not achieve one-trillion credit equity by disclosing R&D materials."
    MJ12 Hong Kong Psionic Researcher: "We work in the same building!"
    MJ12 Hong Kong Physics Researcher: "Our results can be understood only by a few dozen people on the planet, none of whom are "Psionics Engineers.""
  6. Alex Jacobson: "VersaLife is one of the few companies that funds basic research in several branches of science."
  7. Alex Jacobson: "The corporation doesn't share data with the medical community. That's why they do so well."
  8. Comment: "The idea is that this guy is drunk and muttering about an experiment for which he volunteered at VersaLife. He's basically quoting when he himself or others said during the experiment. He's oblivious to world, even if the player has just shot the person next to him."
    Vince: "... oh, sure, I don't mind needles..."
    Vince: "... tumor, shmoomer..."
    Vince: "... experiment? I like experiments..."
    Vince: "... gift to science..."
    Vince: "... nano-augmented transcription -- that'll do the trick!"
    Vince: "... don't talk, or we'll feed you to the karkians..."
  9. Alex Jacobson: "They could make a killing if they released Ambrosia publicly."
  10. Tracer Tong: "Seems to be some inventory data here; VersaLife has been synthesizing the Gray Death virus in great quantities. The entire stockpile has been loaded onto a superfreighter going to New York. Interesting... the previous owner of the ship was Stanton Dowd. Ever hear of the Illuminati? Come back to the compound. I have much to tell you."
  11. JC Denton: "Is there a lot of crime in Hong Kong?"
    Canal Bartender: "Much more than before, yes. Now it's very easy for the smugglers"
    JC Denton: "What kind of smugglers?"
    Canal Bartender: "Slaves, heroin, biotech..."
    JC Denton: "What sort of biotech smuggling goes on?"
    Canal Bartender: "Mostly VersaLife, the Golden Triangle of biotech."
    JC Denton: "Why would a multinational corporation smuggle their products on sampans?"
    Canal Bartender: "Import restrictions in many places -- the United States, European countries..."
    JC Denton: "On what?"
    Canal Bartender: "Certain genetic advances... laboratory organisms. Also, tiny computers in your tissue."
    JC Denton: "What's VersaLife trying to develop?"
    Canal Bartender: "Everything. The Second Men."
    JC Denton: "The Second Men?"
    Canal Bartender: "English author. Olaf Stapledon. You have not read?"
    JC Denton: "Afraid not."
    Canal Bartender: "Last and First Men. History of 19 species of human beings. I cannot believe you do not know this book."
    JC Denton: "I'm not big into books."
  12. Gordon Quick:"The former Red Arrow leader stole nanotech components from VersaLife; I believe it was the corporation that had him murdered."
  13. Neuropozyne Monopoly
  14. VersaLife CEO Unfazed by Declining Stocks
  15. The Missing Link
  16. AIDS Cured in Mice
  17. Terrorist Bombing Kills 35
  18. RE: Bovine Manipulation
  19. "I bloody hell refuse to work at gunpoint again."
  20. "...I falsify all their records... People with my job get the Gray Death."
  21. New Orders; Employee Evaluations
  22. Progress Report
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