James Marcus did not develop the t-Virus.

[News Bot]

Intentionally misleading thread title aside, it is actually somewhat true. Marcus developed a t-Virus. He did not develop the t-Virus. However, it became the t-Virus. I could not get away from the fact that Alexander's Memoir mentions the t-Virus at least a decade before 1978. At first, we believed it was a simple retcon, since CODE:Veronica was written at a time when certain elements of BH1 were still believed to be canon (Clay Virus). However, it turns out FLAGSHIP completely dropped the Clay Virus. However, Marcus is the one who made the "t" stand for "Tyrant".

• In the late 1960s, Spencer, Ashford and Marcus begin the "t-Virus Project" in order to develop a weaponized variant of the Progenitor Virus-- a branch of viruses generally called "t-Virus".
• In 1968, while he is researching the Progenitor Virus in an attempt to develop a weaponized variant, Edward Ashford is killed by Spencer.
• In 1978, Albert Wesker reports the carelessness of Marcus's research management to Spencer, who also learns of Marcus's own t-Virus research. The Umbrella Research Center is shut down and Wesker and William Birkin are transferred to the Arklay Laboratory by Spencer, to lead his own t-Virus development. Knowing that Marcus's results would surpass his own, Spencer schemes to steal his research results by manipulating his passion for his research and desire to surpass Spencer.
• The t-Virus used by Wesker and Birkin in Wesker's Report II is actually an inferior t-Virus created by combining the Progenitor Virus and the Ebola Virus.
• t-Veronica was the Ashford family's contribution to the t-Virus Project. It is a t-Virus.
• In 1988, Marcus completes his t-Virus and Spencer orders for it to be stolen. It is the most advanced t-Virus, and Birkin is announced as its creator. It becomes "the" t-Virus.

Myriad of sources:

In January 1978, Marcus successfully combined leech DNA with the Progenitor Virus, creating the t-Virus that would become the basis for all B.O.W. development to come. What Marcus didn't know, however, was that this had been Spencer's plan all along. He had manipulated Marcus's desire to prove himself with his research, exploited his bond with Bailey, then waited patiently for his machinations to bear fruit in the form of a new breed of virus.

The t-Virus was perfected in 1988, and with that, Marcus's usefulness came to an end. Spencer sent his right-hand-men, executive candidates Albert Wesker and William Birkin, to dispose of him.

Umbrella was co-founded by Spencer and is nothing less than the organization to develop a virus with these properties. Officially, it was a pharmaceutical company focused on treatment of viruses, but in reality a manufacturing plant of 'Bio Organic Weapons'. The discovery of the 'Progenitor virus', which recombines the genes of living organisms, seems to be its origin. A 'variant virus' which can enhance its properties had to be developed to produce 'Bio Organic Weapons' from the 'Progenitor virus'. That was the 't-virus' project.

The "Progenitor virus" was an RNA virus prone to mutate and thereby make it possible to strengthen properties. The reason why Birkin was interested in "Ebola", was strengthening these characteristics by inserting the genes of the "Progenitor virus". Already by that time the sample of "Ebola" had been received by this laboratory.

My father, Edward, discovered the Progenitor Virus in collaboration with Lord Spencer, who was also from an aristocratic family, and repeatedly conducted research for military purposes.
Soon research results began to appear and a variant of the Progenitor virus came to be called the T-Virus.
The Fathers established Umbrella Pharmaceuticals in order to camouflage this research.

T-Alexia
The generic name for the T-Virus which Alexia created. Almost synonymous with T-Veronica. By the way, this word was used for the first time in the dialogue of Wesker which has been added to the Complete Version.

T-Virus
The generic name of the variant of the Progenitor Virus developed for the purpose of B.O.W. manufacture. T is the initial of "Tyrant", as its name suggests it causes a drastic increase in vitality, significant change in appearance, and intelligence and sense are almost lost. In addition, because it is highly infectious and unstable the leakage of small amounts may lead to a catastrophe.

T-Veronica
The virus developed by Alexia in strict secrecy in the Antarctic Base, which has the absolute dominance ability of a queen ant. It was produced by transfusing the gene of a queen ant and the genes of plants with the Progenitor Virus. It causes rapid changes in an organism's cells, and in order to preserve mental functions the body needs to adapt slowly over time at low temperatures.

Question 4
In BIOHAZARD 2, William Birkin developed the T-Virus, but why in BIOHAZARD CODE:Veronica, T-Virus is the general term of the virus variation of the Progenitor Virus?
Answer 4
William Birkin made the T-Virus that was developed in the Arklay facility. Other T-Virus were developed in different facilities and are not related to Birkin's work.

[alexdz]

That's interesting, I always thought Marcus' T-virus was weaker and after Birkin stole it he perfected it. Wasn't there something about Marcus' strain being weak against sunlight? Or that's just the Queen Leech?

[News Bot]

That's interesting, I always thought Marcus' T-virus was weaker and after Birkin stole it he perfected it. Wasn't there something about Marcus' strain being weak against sunlight? Or that's just the Queen Leech?

Just the Queen Leech.

[Archelon]

Why is this news? We already knew this.

That CODE: Veronica interview was translated years ago.

[Wrathborne]

Why is this news?

Well ya see, Newsbot is revising his info and sharing it with the rest of us, the RE community on this here forum.
By doing so he is primarily updating what we know and adding some corrections.

I guess, people aren't happy unless they're complaining.

[News Bot]

Why is this news? We already knew this.

That CODE: Veronica interview was translated years ago.

It was known that there are several types of t-Virus. That's all.

Everything else on the other hand was unknown. Many just assumed that Marcus developed the only t-Virus and it was stolen by Wesker and Birkin in 1978, despite there being no indication of that. It was not listed or known that the virus in Wesker's Report II (until the 1988 entry) was Ebola + Progenitor. Many also assumed Alexander's Memoir was based on the old BH1 "Clay Virus" canon.

[News Bot]

After translating Marcus' Diary 1, I can confirm that the whole thing about Marcus' naming the t-Virus and his being the only one is in-fact... made-up by the translators! Hurrayyy!

September 19th
At last..
I've discovered a way to build a new virus type with "Progenitor" as a base.
Mixing it with leech DNA was a breakthrough I needed..
I call this new virus "T", for "Tyrant".

September 19
At last...
The prospect of developing a new type virus using "Progenitor" as the base is in sight.
As a result of various experiments, the combination of leech DNA became the decisive factor.
This will serve as the first "t" success example.
It is the first improved species of "Progenitor".

[News Bot]

Another source which corroborates my initial post: biohazard archives.

t-ウィルスとは、アンブレラが開発した新型RNAウィルスの総称である。

t-Virus is the collective term for a new RNA virus developed by Umbrella.

総称

all-inclusive term
collective designation
collective term
inclusive term

Basically, the name refers to more than one virus. The book also confirms that Marcus was merely the first to produce a variant.

It was Dr. James Marcus, one of its discoverers, who first achieved results in Progenitor Virus research alone.

Also, sometimes, the t-Virus is also referred to as "his Progenitor Virus". That is how it is in Birkin's profile, at least.

However, fortunately the straying would later give the turning point for the t-Virus Project. He aimed at a comeback and succeeded in the stabilization of his Progenitor Virus.

This usage of "Progenitor Virus" as a term referring to the t-Virus may explain why the B.O.W. Report seemingly hints at the Lurker, Plague Crawler and Eliminator despite them being confirmed (in every source) to be t-Virus creatures. Another thing to note is that Marcus wanted to keep his t-Virus research hidden, so he would be forced to call it Progenitor Virus anyway.

[News Bot]

So are there no actual sources which disprove anything in this topic? I like to be absolutely sure.

[Pikminister]

If I was even remotely interested in getting this right, I would go and learn Japanese and/or find someone who is a native Japanese speaker/reader and have this person(s) confirm that everything is A-OK. Because it would be embarrassing for me to end up doing a half-baked job like Capcom.

I do not envy this great task you have set up for yourself, NB. Best of luck 2 you.

[News Bot]

If I was even remotely interested in getting this right, I would go and learn Japanese and/or find someone who is a native Japanese speaker/reader and have this person(s) confirm that everything is A-OK. Because it would be embarrassing for me to end up doing a half-baked job like Capcom.

I do not envy this great task you have set up for yourself, NB. Best of luck 2 you.

All of the translations are very much accurate, I've double-checked with several translators on this.

What I'm looking for is a source (Japanese or English) which says that there is only one t-Virus in the entire series, developed by Marcus, stolen and improved by Birkin. Basically, I'm looking for what Dracarys failed to deliver here.

[Wrathborne]

So what is Marcus famous for anyways? Just the leeches?

[News Bot]

So what is Marcus famous for anyways? Just the leeches?

Yup. He generally wasn't as important as people give him credit, in terms of the t-Virus. Birkin was always intended as the creator of the t-Virus and this never changed.

[Wrathborne]

I feel so...retconed...Still not like RE0's timeline made any sense with the original RE timeline.

[News Bot]

I feel so...retconed...Still not like RE0's timeline made any sense with the original RE timeline.

To be fair, BH0 made complete sense outside of Rebecca's personality, which was mainly because the REmake development team were doing a faithful remake of BH1 and did not take BH0 into account, as it was being developed at the same time by a different Production Studio.

I think BH0 was completely unnecessary, but being the whore for story that I am, I appreciate it's attempt to make the overall storyline bigger.