So I gave the instructions in https://steamcommunity.com/app/1531540/discussions/3/5561388294332782864/?ctp=2#c5561388294331282485 A try and afterwards swapped up to a later version of Proton. The game does launch however it's really Dark as others have mentioned.

I'm hoping that there's something ...

So far with a causal quick test of trying to launch the game through Proton it seems that you can't get past the launcher.
Unfortunate.

Hopefully the performance improves because the forum is basically unusable in this state.

As long as the game works with proton unlike the first game that would be enough.

Good luck everyone

Does this mean everyone in the first wave has already been contacted?

Well good luck to everyone, hoping to get an invite myself. Hopefully, all the emails are sent out by Friday.

Not sure if it's been asked already, but are there any plans to have gravity wells impact FTL travel?