Here's the full article in Japanese, here's the translation over on NeoGAF.

What really stood out to me in this article was the following bit:

4Gamer: You spoke about already having a large fan base, but how are you planning to adjust the difficult in Dark Souls II? To be honest, I can’t help but think that the needs of your existing fans and that of new players might be conflicting.

Shibuya: Just as you say, it’s a difficult proposition. That’s why we plan on making the early parts of the game comparatively less difficult to ease new players in, and then at a certain point, we’ll tell them “this is where the real game begins.”

4Gamer: So, a “The real Demon’s Souls starts here.” type of thing?

Shibuya: Exactly. In reality, I’m sure we’ll get quite a few new players with Dark Souls II, but existing players will probably represent the majority, so we need to make sure we satisfy their needs.

It reads to me like they're just going to make the introduction to the game a lot smoother and probably teach new players how to play a bit better. I highly doubt they would add some sort of easy mode.

I agree with this thinking. To be fair, though, even at the time the Undead Asylum wasn't particularly challenging.

4Gamer:
Speaking of which, Miyazaki-san said that you will run dedicated servers to support the online system for the game. Will multiplayer aspects be a focus in Dark Souls II?

Shibuya:
Yes. At the center we have the gameplay of a strong standalone game, and from there we focus our efforts on adding online elements and multiplayer elements that utilize the dedicated servers.

More than anything else, I hope they take a good long look at how online was integrated into the game. A lot of it was good, but some of it was just lacking or downright confusing.

@Giantstalker said:

I agree with this thinking. To be fair, though, even at the time the Undead Asylum wasn't particularly challenging.

That boss can wreck you if you don't know what's up.

good to know. some more explanations and what not would probably do the trick without needing to make the beggining play significantly easier.

@Animasta said:

That boss can wreck you if you don't know what's up.

A parable for the game as a whole, really.

@Giantstalker said:

@Animasta said:

That boss can wreck you if you don't know what's up.

A parable for the game as a whole, really.

yeah but eventually you earn a base level of understanding of the controls and how it plays and shit, you don't really get that until, like, the bell gargoyles imo

@Giantstalker said:

I agree with this thinking. To be fair, though, even at the time the Undead Asylum wasn't particularly challenging.

The problem was more that when exiting Undead Asylum you had not been introduced to several key aspects of the game. I would say the proper starting point of the game is after you meet Andre. By then you have learned about bonfires, levelling and upgrades, you have found several weapons so you understand they all act very differently, you have found a few different shields so you can see their different effects and you've got the introduction to online play.

As long as they know that the majority of players who buy the game will be well aware of the Souls series then it will be fine. There's no point in pissing off your base for an imaginary buyer.

I really like that Miyazaki guy, he seems very earnest and straightforward.

His mention of the decision of not selling individual items as DLC got me thinking there's a possibility that Dark Souls II will get other types of DLC eventually, in the same vein as Artorias of the Abyss, and with the way things goes it may have already been decided that they'll make some. Kind of weird to think about this now.

@JackSukeru said:

I really like that Miyazaki guy, he seems very earnest and straightforward.

His mention of the decision of not selling individual items as DLC got me thinking there's a possibility that Dark Souls II will get other types of DLC eventually, in the same vein as Artorias of the Abyss, and with the way things goes it may have already been decided that they'll make some. Kind of weird to think about this now.

they should sell individual items as DLC, but it should make you more likely to be invaded by phantoms, even if undead.

I think it'd be pretty funny and very dark soulsy

Who cares just play it on the hardest difficulty it will probably be harder, thats why you guys like it right?

@JackSukeru: I'm pretty sure Miyazaki said his greatest failure with Dark Souls was the fact they had to release updates for it. He really wanted to deliver a full, 100% complete game and was initially against the idea of any sort of updates or DLC. Sort of the opposite of this year's PLEASE STOP award.

I've stopped worrying about theories of "easy mode" and now I just want them to start showing me in game footage of a player being fucked up by a giant boss monster. Then I'll be happy.

People focus too much on the possibility of them dumbing it down. There are other much more important quotes in that interview, like:

4Gamer:

I’d like to talk more about Dark Souls II. Is there any connection to the original in terms of the feel of the world?

Shibuya:

It’s not a sequel in terms of story, but that doesn’t mean the feel of the world is completely different. The game is set in the same world as the previous title, but the story takes place in a different location and with different humans (players).

and:

4Gamer:

Is there anything you are you focusing on in particular.

Shibuya:

It’s really hard for me to put it into words, but one aspect is the visual scene and atmosphere of each location. I really want to give those things more depth. Above all, what I want to do most is to incorporate a lot of “ideas that utilize the player’s attentiveness.”

@Ares42: maybe the game takes place in Caterina or Thorlund or THE GREAT SWAMPS

actually the great swamps just sounds like blight town 24/7 so maybe not the great swamps

@Ares42: Overall I had a very positive reaction to the various things brought up in the interview and it laid some possible worries to rest. But I was also never under the impression that the sky was falling after the inital announcement & interview so take that for what you will.

@arch4non: Yeah I know and I think that's cool, but I also think some decisions like that (the decision to create DLC) might be out of his hands, and if they are I'm at least somewhat optimistic that they, if anyone, would handle it in a way that didn't make it feel like a part was missing from the game. Y'know, since they had this whole philosophy. Anyway too early to tell.

@Animasta: That might backfire though if the items are too powerful or the people just enjoy getting invaded.

@Bourbon_Warrior: Who left the door open? Now it smells like codblops in here! :P

@JackSukeru: just make it so it escalates more and more and you get invaded by like 10 people at a time

@Animasta: I'm on board, so long as they work it into the lore somehow, like the weapons are cursed or something.

So... GOTY 2014 then? Praise the sun! \o/

For example, if the player sees blood flowing towards them, they’ll think “what is this blood?” “Where is it coming from?” Situations like that. I want to create more situations that bring about doubt in the player—make them think “why?”—or give them a sense of foreboding death wherever they go. I want to focus on creating really elaborate environments that may look like nothing special at first, but may contain paths for players who are look closely enough.

This line got my attention, since it can go multiple ways and would be symbolic for a potential general direction of the game. If those scenarios will involve camera pans centering on the point of interest, I'm gonna be disappointed. But if it means more cases like the boulder traps at Sens Fortress where the stairs that the boulders roll down on are all heavily visually worn, thus giving you an indirect hint of the hazards ahead, then Shibuya, you're going in the right direction.

Anor Londo - where the real Dark Souls starts and ends :D

Let's hope the same doesn't happen with DSII.