[7] Prior to Planet Coaster 2, Frontier Developments was working on the F1 Manager series, and Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin, but both titles underperformed, contributing to layoffs in an organizational review.

[8] This also changed the company's strategy from diversifying the game portfolio to refocusing on the management simulation genre, which had previously led them success.

[13] Planet Coaster 2 received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for its improvements over the original game, particularly in terms of visuals, customization, and new features.

Leana Hafer from IGN praised Planet Coaster 2 for expanding on its predecessor's strengths, particularly with improved customization and new water attractions.

[16] Brendan Caldwell from Rock Paper Shotgun heavily criticised the game for its "fiddlesome busywork", "penchant for micromanagement", and "poor user interface".

[22] Timo Reinecke of Shacknews commended Planet Coaster 2 for its improved visuals, intuitive menus, and water-themed attractions.