Seeing the listings on ebay for the LRG re-release of the game, I wouldn't be surprised. Coulda left my copy unopened and tried to sell the game for like $200. 
We could go there if you want, after all that's pretty much what a good majority of people buy LRG releases for anyway. However, my point was in regards to how poorly managed and incompetent they are as a company. Sure, the game having a dead battery right out of the gate could seem like a small thing to some, but it's still wrong. Granted, you're the only one I've read of this happening, but still, it makes me wonder if they had a barrel filled with used CR batteries and decided to recycle them for the sake of cutting corners. I mean, makes sense; everyone keeps these sealed anyway, so who's going to even notice.
In all sincerity, though, anybody who ends up spending $200+ for what's essentially a repro is well beyond their goddamned mind.
Reading opinions in other places it seem that indeed there also problems with the shell of the cartridge that make it hard to assemble, open and just close it again.
I read a few complaints about that as well, so can confirm.
Well...my save file disappeared...even though the battery I replaced like five days ago is still working since it now has a new file 1 which starts me at the intro stage.
Let me circle back to what I said earlier:
incompetence.
Seriously, though, contact support about it, don't just put the thing away and be like, "meh, it is what it is".
And speaking of incompetence, with a smidgen of shamelessness for good measure...
How much were they asking for it again, $145? What a deal...
