That right there is the most irritating part to me, Shadowjack. It was not only foreseeable, it was known and not addressed, and there are active attempts to prevent reviewers from criticizing it. Cata knows how bad this was. They can't not. They even had a hotfix errata team in place because of it. This was no oops. This was deliberately printed and released in known-to-be unedited and incomplete condition. That may not rise to the level of fraud, but it certainly sinks to the level of hideously unethical. Just like using unpaid people to fix the problem does.
It was sooo avoidable too. If you absolutely had to do a GenCon release, the easiest way to address the issue proactively would have been to do what Pathfinder did and sell it as a Beta. Fans would have bought less maybe, but thanked Cata for that opportunity, and given feedback in droves to help it hit the mark. Goodwill restored, successful actual launch potential, and better and sustained sales over time. Course correction established, nerds rejoice.
Instead, now people have basically been ripped off by being sold a defective product. The issue is clear as day, and the wound is only going to deepen further than it has. I am assuming sales will be skidding to a halt after people see how bad it is. Might get the usual first wave numbers, but second wave is not something I would count on being good, even with an embarrassingly large errata doc as a functional second book so you can play the first one, or a corrected PDF, if that actually happens. Now you are jacking retailers up too. Double hit. Selling them a product customers will return. Now they will have to rethink then next time you publish something.
When people get to rate it on DTRPG, it's going to get bottomed out fast. QSR is already tanked on the numbers, ratings-wise. Once CGL loses control over the NDA reviewer situation, word will not be good. The marketing campaign alone reeks of intentional hiding of flaws.
Management decisions here are the textbook opposite of what to do and how to do it.
Consider who you are helping when you work on fixing the mess. Freelancers and Errata people, you are not in safe hands here. Rig your chutes now, if you haven't already.
I wish you luck, I really do.