Dark Souls Interview

Metro is offering a rather interesting interview with Demon's Souls and Dark Souls game director Hidetaka Miyazaki, who muses on subjects such as the game's difficulty (and wonders whether the game would benefit from the addition of an easy mode), the surprising success of the game, admired even by fellow developers, the innovative implementation of multiplayer in his titles, the PC version of Dark Souls and more. Here's an excerpt:
GC: Are you happy to describe Dark Souls as a difficult game? How much does that reputation put off people and how many do you find see it as a challenge? In your experience do casual gamers really want their games to always be so easy or is that just them being patronised by games companies?

HM: I personally want my games to be described as satisfying rather than difficult. As a matter of fact, I am aiming at giving players sense of accomplishment in the use of difficulty.

Having said that, however, it is true that Dark Souls is rather difficult and a number of people may hesitate to play. This fact is really sad to me and I am thinking about whether I should prepare another difficulty that everyone can complete or carefully send all gamers the messages behind our difficult games.

However, I suppose gamers do not particularly prefer easy games. What they want is interesting and worthwhile games to play, so I think it is natural that hindrance or stress that does not attribute to such interesting and worthwhile elements will be removed in the end.

If the number of easy games is increasing nowadays, I guess it is because difficulty is not related to interesting and worthwhile game elements in many games among players.

...

GC: Was the PC version really not an option until the fan petition? How surprised were Namco Bandai at the support for the game and did the demands for a PC version change their views on the popularity of the franchise as a whole?

HM: I confess that we did not plan to create the PC version at all on our development schedule. So the petition campaign was absolutely big surprise for us. I believe that the petition was one of the main factors that we finally determine on creating the PC version.

...

GC: What are you plans for the continuation of the Dark Souls franchise? Will there be any more DLC? If you are contemplating any sequel would that be for current gen consoles or next gen hardware?

HM: Even if a sequel of Dark Souls is decided to be created, it is still uncertain whether I will be chosen to get involved in the development since the decision maker is not me, so I better not say anything about the uncertainty. If I reveal my unprepared opinion here, the decision makers may scold me!