Genetech Corporation

Genetech Corporation was a medical research company and droid manufacturer. Founded during the time of the Galactic Republic, Genetech Corporation pioneered the use of droids to automate their operations, resulting in thousands of job losses but creating a healthy profit for the company. Genetech's decision to create their own droid labour force contributed to the growing anti-droid sentiment, especially in the Outer Rim Territories. After Genetech's reputation took a hit when an anti-viral serum did not meet expectations, the Corporation funnelled its efforts into building droids for the commercial market, most notably in the administrative and supervisory fields.

Description

Genetech Corporation was a large company initially specializing in pharmaceutical research and development before retooling and entering the droid production market.

History

Genetech Corporation began as a pharmaceutical production company during the years of the Galactic Republic. When the usage of droids became widespread, Genetech began to build their own droids to automate a large percentage of their operations. The resulting replacement of organic workers by droids increased the Corporation's profits immensely by reducing employee payment overheads through the firing of thousands of assembly line workers. The move was highly controversial, and was one of the causes of anti-droid sentiment in the Republic.

A virulent hive virus hit Genetech Corporation's reputation when its anti-viral serum—which had been much promoted by the company—failed to meet expectations, leaving Genetech stock at an all-time low. Genetech had, however, channelled earlier profits into buying several more droid manufacturing facilities to augment the original one. After several years, along with several legal battles that ended lucratively for Genetech, the Corporation retooled itself and began manufacturing and selling droids aimed at the medical market. Genetech's successful entry into the droid market translated into huge profits for the company, and they became one of the galaxy's largest droid manufacturers by the time of the Galactic Civil War. Initially starting out producing medical droids, the Corporation soon branched into the accounting, administration, and book-keeping droid markets.

Noted for their successful supervisory and administrative droid lines, Genetech foundered when it produced the PIP/2 systems control droid. Genetech market research believed that they had found a new niche to exploit when they noted that the operation of control boards were still mainly handled by organic operators. Although a few units were completely automated through the use of artificial intelligence and microprocessors, many control boards were designed with switchboards and button key input controls. Various factors, ranging from cost, to security, and even convenience, were cited for the reason that this was the case.

The PIP/2 was rushed into production with a huge investment, despite the fact that it was targeting a small market. Before long, cost overruns and logistical delays conspired to make Genetech's financial year a disaster unless the PIP/2 sold in record numbers. The PIP/2 failed spectacularly; advertized as "glitch-proof," the units developed multiple problems and were easily overwhelmed by excessive visual and auditory stimuli, causing them to push the wrong controls in a vain effort to keep up with the emerging problem or shutting down altogether. Genetech responded quickly, recalling as many droids as possible and patching them to perform perfectly. However, the damage was done. The PIP/2 continued production for two years until discontinued, forcing Genetech to temporarily refocus on its medical supply market until the public memory of the PIP/2 failure receded.

At some point after the formation of the Galactic Empire, Genetech became embroiled in legal battles with the similarly named Geentech, a small medisensor manufacturing company which had entered the medical droid market with the successful 2-1B surgical droid. Genetech claimed that Geentech's name infringed on several Genetech copyrights. With little interference from Imperial Court officials, Genetech tied Geentech up in expensive copyright litigation. Bankrupted, Geentech was run out of business by the larger corporation, and rumors circulated that Genetech had offered the Galactic Empire large discounts and trade inducements in exchange for a result that favored them. Genetech then acquired Geentech's assets cheaply, apart from the 2-1B surgical droid which was part owned and produced by Industrial Automaton.

Products

3D-4X administrative droid

In response to Cybot Galactica's dominance over the protocol droid market, Genetech produced the 3D-4X administrative droid. Realizing that they could not compete to the new industry standard set by the 3PO-series protocol droid and their AA-1 VerboBrain, Genetech designed a limited function protocol droid that was geared towards systems administration rather than diplomacy. Produced on Mechis III, the 3D-4X series were employed as personal assistants to businessbeings who required an aide capable of being both an administrator and with the ability to take initiative. Highly intelligent, 3D-4X units were often used as primary trade negotiators.

A2 Accounting/Business Unit

A successor to Genetech's earlier A1 series business droid, the A2 Accounting/Business Unit was a hemi-spherically shaped droid designed to operate as a personal account manager and negotiator. Unfortunately for Genetech, the SkillWare engineers failed to work out bugs in the A2's personality module which resulted in them being poor negotiators. However, the A2 series was skilled at determining relative market values and were efficient accountants. A2 series units cost 8,000 credits to buy new, and were found all over the Corporate Sector and in financial institutions in the Core Worlds.

PIP/2 systems control droid

Although a failure for Genetech, the PIP/2, once patched, performed its job admirably. Designed to operate control boards meant to be operated by organic beings prone to making mistakes through overwork and anxiety, the PIP/2 had optical sensors installed three-hundred and sixty degrees around their heads, making them capable of watching the entire control board at once. The droid's eight limbs could operate the control panel with more speed and dexterity than an organic operator. Unfortunately, the PIP/2 never recovered from its shambolic inception, and only a few of these droids were in operation until late in the Galactic Civil War.

Behind the scenes

Genetech was first mentioned in the first edition of Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back, published by West End Games in 1996. The mention was in reference to the 2-1B surgical droid; however, The Star Wars Sourcebook published in 1987 had asserted that the 2-1B line had been manufactured by the similarly named "Geentech." A year later, Cynabar's Fantastic Technology: Droids addressed the confusion, with the two similarly named companies being independent entities involved in a copyright legal battle over the similar name. However, Star Wars: Behind the Magic still listed Genetech as the creator of the 2-1B when it was released in 1998.

Sources

• Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back, Second Edition (First mentioned)
• Cynabar's Fantastic Technology: Droids
• Lords of the Expanse
• Star Wars Trilogy Sourcebook, Special Edition
• "Tasariq: The Crystal Planet" – Star Wars Adventure Journal 15
• Star Wars: Behind the Magic
• The Essential Guide to Droids ("A Guide to Major Manufacturers")
• The Essential Guide to Droids ("3D-4x Administrative Droid")
• The Essential Guide to Droids ("2-1B Surgical Droid")
• The Essential Guide to Droids ("Systems Control Droid")