Release dates:
PS3 and 360.
NA March 11.
EU March 14.
PC in March.
http://www.polygon.com/2013/9/18/4743612/dark-souls-2-hands-on-beta-preview-tgs
TGS trailer.
http://www.gamersyde.com/news_tgs_images_and_trailers_of_dark_souls_2-14631_en.html
TGS offscreen gameplay.
http://www.gamersyde.com/news_tgs_10_minutes_of_dark_souls_2-14628_en.html
There will be a beta in October for the PS3 version. You can sign up to it from the PSN store.
PS3 and 360.
NA March 11.
EU March 14.
PC in March.
http://www.polygon.com/2013/9/18/4743612/dark-souls-2-hands-on-beta-preview-tgs
Perhaps the most surprising change is how the world of Dark Souls 2 treats players who are undead — or in "hollowed" form. In the original Dark Souls, it was often safer to play as an undead character than one with their humanity restored. Other players couldn't invade you while playing as an undead. Not so in Dark Souls 2.
Dark Souls 2 will also see changes to how players can summon others to their own world for cooperative play. Players summoned to your world will now only be able to join you for a limited time; how long depends on how experienced your cooperative phantom ally is. The more enemies a summoned players has killed, the shorter they'll live in phantom form.
Dark Souls 2 also introduces a new player character attribute, agility. According to the game, agility governs "swiftness of movement" and boosts the speed of evasion, blocking and other actions. At least one other character attribute is slightly different. Dexterity now boosts poison and bleed effects, according to its description.
Humanity from Dark Souls has also been completely removed for the sequel.
TGS trailer.
http://www.gamersyde.com/news_tgs_images_and_trailers_of_dark_souls_2-14631_en.html
TGS offscreen gameplay.
http://www.gamersyde.com/news_tgs_10_minutes_of_dark_souls_2-14628_en.html
There will be a beta in October for the PS3 version. You can sign up to it from the PSN store.