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Brigid TenenbaumHQ
"The slugs alone could not provide enough ADAM for serious work. But combined with the host...
now we have something."
Brigid Tenenbaum

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Bomb goes off in that fancy place uptown, and everybody panics… pulls their money out of the banks… a whole city tuggin' on the same dollar bill
― Grace Holloway[src]

The Rapture Bank Crash was an important event in the decline of Rapture, resulting in the disruption of its economy during the Rapture Civil War.

Origins[]

The start of the Civil War by the 1958 New Year's Eve Riots at the Kashmir Restaurant led to an atmosphere of insecurity in Rapture with the public reveal of Plasmids' potential as deadly weapons.[1] In response to the population's unrest and to ensure its own success in the conflict, Ryan Industries began to sell Plasmids as home defense products. This led to citizens pouring their money into genetic products in order for them to defend themselves.[2] However Atlas' rebels were doing the same, and the conflict degenerated into a genetic arms race, with Ryan developing more powerful Plasmids and his opponents scavenging for ADAM.[3]

The Economic Consequences[]

B1 Poseidon GardnerDelux

Gardner Delux Modern, one of the many businesses forced to close.

This new fever for ADAM led to the general populace getting their money out of the banks to survive, causing further bankruptcies, mortgage failures, and layoffs. Among the many businesses to suffer from this economic crash was The Limbo Room, a popular nightclub situated in the poorest district of the city, Pauper's Drop.[4] Other businesses in Rapture were eventually shut down or damaged through the chaos of the war.

Only a few businesses managed to stay operational during the conflict, such as Ryan Industries and Sinclair Solutions, which provided the majority of Plasmids and Gene Tonics, and Rapture Central Computing which kept the cities automated systems running. The Pearl, one of Rapture's most lavish hotels located in Siren Alley, was forced to switch its own business ideal and was turned into a brothel, taking the name: The Pink Pearl.[5]

A New Currency[]

With most of the businesses closed, the Rapture Dollar started losing its value. ADAM, however, became a rare currency, with more and more Splicers addicted to it. Little Sisters deployed to recycle it from corpses became prey for the genetically enhanced inhabitants, even when guarded by Big Daddies. Ryan noticed this change and took advantage by rewarding Splicers with small quantities of the raw material.[6]

The Post-War Economy[]

By the end of the conflict in 1960, the Rapture Dollar had no value except for buying food, health treatments and weapons from the local vending machines still in operation. ADAM was used however to buy Plasmids and Gene Tonics from Gatherer's Gardens, though it was in severe shortage and only obtainable from Little Sisters or Ryan himself.

References[]

  1. Bill McDonagh's Audio Diary: Fontaine's Legacy
  2. Barbara Johnson's Audio Diary: Keeping Up
  3. Bill McDonagh's Audio Diary: Genetic Arms Race
  4. Grace Holloway's Audio Diary: Closing the Limbo Room: "Bomb goes off in that fancy place uptown, and everybody panics… pulls their money out of the banks… a whole city tuggin' on the same dollar bill. So the banks fold, and maybe one in ten got their savings out…"
  5. Radio Message in Siren Alley: "The Pearl was among the ritziest lodgings in Rapture, but durin' the war the residents put themselves up for sale … Daniel's office is on the top floor, I believe."
  6. Andrew Ryan's Loading Screen Quote: "Rapture is changing. Link by link, the great chain of industry is being reforged with a new form of capital: ADAM."
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