Incorrect.
Other than a single racial mech skill, they're designed for anyone.  Low EP pilots can cram extenders in the extra slots (CPU/RF, ect) and all...

But it's the fact that other than those two slots it's 100% the exact same bot as a Mk1 that leaves me looking at them with a huge 'meh'.  As EP values get higher those extra slots have more utility, of course, but it's still just an Mk1 hull with two more modules (being squeezed into the same fitting parameters to boot).

Mostly, I think, it's just the 'aww cool, lookatme!  I got a Mk2!'...

That's the thing, they're not selling, from what I've seen of the market.

Oh yes, they're there, priced to not move, and they're not moving because the price point is currently set at the 25%-50% CT level offering those with 75% CTs a handy profit, but with a price point that high no one's buying.
And they're also being built in-house so, again, people won't buy what their corp can produce more cheaply.  Yes, certainly, if someone in the corp finds a juicy CT I might drive one, because it's cheap, but currently why bother driving them as they're no different beyond two fitting points.  They have no flavor, just a little added salt.

The t2 bots in this game seem very underwhelming to me too, but only because t2 ships in eve is so much better than t1 counterparts across the board. My viewpoint is probably skewed. If you're looking to squeeze every bit of performance out of a bot in pvp, instead of just blobing it, I guess it's worth the extra.

I'd agree with that, the MK 2 bot shouldn't be compared to Tier 2 bots in eve, just because it has a 2.

Also, Alexadar is correct, the MK II's are a mid-step as an advancement between Robot classes. That is the Assault-MK II is takes advantage of all the Basic extensions that the player has been building up, where stepping up to a mech requires the learning of all new extensions (advanced robotics). This works at the top end too, where you're required to have Faction Robot - 10 to drive the Heavy MK II; which is currently the strongest bot in the game given the MK II +'s.

TL;DR MK II's are not the 'next' tier of bots, they require more skill to drive then the same model MK I, but not a whole new set of extensions.

Yes, they are designed for anyone. But if you want to use them with maximum efficiensy, you should replace as many CPU's and RF with proper extensions as possible. Then your bot will be more powerfull: this is quite logical if you want to have a bot what worth 2x of mats, i mean mk2. Then you can fit moar tunnings, defence system modules, so you will be 20%+ moar powerfull that mk1 machines ever can be. 20%+ is not small number in this game.

Unfortunately not each corp can build enough quantity of mk2 bots for warfare operations. To achieve goal build 40 mk2 tyranoses you should do alot of mining and artifact work. Im not saying about manufacturing. For this purposes you and your mates in corporation need skills, they are need high EP level to build enough quantity of modules and bots.

In conclusion: mk2 bots are end game machines. They are designed to please player wiling to have most powerfull machines, what hard to get and hard to drive.

Even when I can't make util of a Arbalest MK2 till now as I'm still short on CPU/Reactor for my MK1 I look forward to get a MK2.

I'm very close to fit the MK1 with 5*T4 EMs and all T2 for the rest (need another 3 CPU *g*). So for a complet MK2 fitting I just miss ~40 CPU and maybe 10 Reactor. With "complet" I mean T4 guns, no launcher but all high/low slowts used (3*weapon upgrades, 1* sensor booster, 2*resitences, rep, ERP (yes, PvE)).

This is 5*(5% more damage + 5% faster fire from w-up + 4% damage from MK2 bonus) + 120 resitence compared to a MK1.

Is it worth the high price? Maybe not, maybe yes. Don't know till now. But I know, it will work better the my MK1 I use atm .

For alpha duelers Mk2 hauler bots and mk2 miner bots (except Riveler mk2) are a waste of money and not worth it. After argano you should buy a termis then a riveler no need to waste time/resources on the mk2 variants. On hauler bots, more slots are not needed I only use a lwf and shield in alpha, why would I need more slots, they should have a larger cargo hold.

Combat agents have it good with mk2, industrials have been handed the short end of the stick.

It's clear we need some changes on these bots even if AC nerf some slots and add bonuses I don't mind.

Ok well spotted, you get more out of the ground with a termis mk2, but I prefer to mine faster, there is enough ore on the ground for me, and 5 lasers are better than 4 specially with higher cycle times. Why would I want to mine slower?. On the down side the termis mk2 is more cpu intensive to fit than a riveler.

I am not comparing alpha with beta players, just theoretical industrials vs Combat pilots, but I get your point. Taking the termis mk2 aside too, there are no other industrial mk2 bots with any advantage over the normal counterparts than the next bigger bot in line won't fix.

actually, i dont mine slower with my termis mk2...
the riveler has 1 mining laser more (=25% more yield per timeframe as a termis)
the Termis mk2 has 1 more tuning + a robot bonus (~24% more yield per cycle as a termis)

same goes for symbiont vs. gargoyle mk2. especially for noralgis harvesting the more yield then more cycles should jump into your face. And for me as alpha dweller, the terrain advantage of the laird (mk2) makes it a usefull tool to hide noralgis in places where a symbiont/gargoyle never can harvest it, but still get a reasonable ammount of material out of it.

argano mk2 fully fit with t4 small mining laser - cheap and effective at mining. As soon as dynamic ore deposits are in, the only way to deplete those on hills where heavy mech cannot get (this fact should be amplified by nerfing the rivelers and symbionts slope capability which is out of the line anyway)

mk2's are great. they are not for the narrow minded. be creative and you find something where they can excel at something the next bigger bot cannot (eg. Artemis mk2)

i love my sequer mk2... can fit much more Repair tunings then the regular one, has demob resists and more legslots for armor -> ideal companion for my combat agent when farming robots with demobs...

sure, you wont profit from it on that alpha triangle route...