I must have missed something, what are people reading into that they think this will have selectable difficulty options / be easier? I don't think we have anything to worry about yet. Also, all of the marketing for this series is focused on how difficult it is -- like the stupidly named "Prepare to Die Edition-- , for the next game to lose some of that difficulty would be strange.
Its because of an edge article where the journalist interpreted the directors comments as dumbing down the game to skyrim levels. Which he then preceded to applaud them for.
The director was just referring to making the gameplay systems, tutorial, and ui a little more obvious and accessible.
Graphics need an overhaul. Call me shallow, but Dark Souls was just too ugly for my taste. Tried it once at a buddy's, never played it again.
You should try it on PC. Brings out a whole new level of gorgeous.
Unless you are a regular console player and then I am utterly perplexed by the irony.