According to a NeoGAF moderator who's known for posting and translating Japanese news:

According to the Japanese press release, the release format in Japan is slightly different.

The PS3/360/PC(DX9) version of Scholar of the First Sin will be released on Feb 5 2015, while he PS4/XBO/PC(DX11) version will be released on Apr 9 2015. The pricing is different too, with the DX9 PC version going for 4,200yen, while the DX11 PC version will be 5,200yen.

That pretty much confirms that anyone who owns DS2 on Steam now is stuck with the DX9 version, and you'll probably have to buy the DX11 version separately. Unless they offer a discounted upgrade.

Now, I don't know about you, but this is ridiculous and downright scummy of Namco to pull off. Remember these?

http://abload.de/img/0auru02.png
vs
http://abload.de/img/0bq2ura.png

http://abload.de/img/1a67u94.png
vs
http://abload.de/img/1bnwu16.png

http://abload.de/img/5aecuyc.png
vs
http://abload.de/img/5bosug5.png

This kind of downgrade, only to be charged for an upgrade to DX11 on the platform that could have handled it from the start? This is absolutely asinine and completely destroys my confidence in buying anything Dark Souls in the future on day one.

I bought this game day one, as did hundreds of thousands of others. Why are we the ones getting shafted, if this ends up being true?

edit, it's true:
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/dark-souls-2-coming-to-ps4-and-xbox-one-this-april/1100-6423804/

Continuing the trend of popular games from the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 going to current-gen systems, From Software announced that the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and DirectX 11 PCs will get a new version of Dark Souls II.

From Software isn't abandoning last-gen gamers or people who already own the game though. Scholar of the First Sin will also be available on PS3, 360, and DirectX 9 PCs as a compilation version that collects the game and DLC missions. While it won't include the enhanced graphics and sound, those versions (and gamers who already own Dark Souls II) will receive the additional content through a free, "large-scale update (ver. 1.10), which will add new features including an additional NPC to seek out along the treacherous quest through Drangleic as well as expanded story, in-game events, improved balance, and online matchmaking functionality."

Thanks for the money, suckers. :/

edit2: Bamco of America tumblr post:
http://bandainamcous.tumblr.com/post/103526088996/were-very-excited-to-announce-dark-souls-ii

edit3, more GAF translation:

Here's the Japanese press release: http://www.4gamer.net/games/196/G019662/20141125021/

Relevant footnotes:
※従来機版と新世代機版はそれぞれゲームサーバーが異なります。
※従来機版と新世代機版とのオンラインマッチングはできません。（PS3とPS4のマッチングはできません）
※従来機版から新世代機版へのセーブデータの引き継ぎはできません。
※Windows（DirectX.9対応）版からWindows（DirectX.11対応）版へのアップグレードはできません。

- Last-gen and new-gen versions use different game servers.
- Last-gen and new-gen versions are not compatible for online matchmaking. (PS3 to PS4 matchmaking is not supported)
- You cannot transfer save data from last-gen to new-gen.
- You cannot upgrade the Windows (DirectX9) version to the Windows (DirectX11) version.

In the press release they also specify very clearly that "last-gen" refers specifically to the PS3, 360, and DX9 versions, while "new-gen" refers to the PS4, XBO, and DX11 versions. No confusion.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=140309710&postcount=437

This is so dumb.

edit4, final GAF translation:

Okay we have an official super clear comparison between all the versions of this re-release, including a comparison with what will be in the 1.10 Patch for last-gen owners.

http://darksouls.jp/pc/scholar_of_th...pecmatrix.html

The chart is in Japanese, so I'll translate the column on the left indicating the features. The rest should be self-explanatory.

New Features:
- New characters and events (Included in all versions of SoFS, will be added in the 1.10 Patch for existing users)
- Story and world additions (Included in all versions of SoFS, will be added in the 1.10 Patch for existing users)
- Graphics and performance upgrades (Only included in next-gen versions of SoFS)
- Improved online multiplayer (Only included in next-gen versions of SoFS)
- Enemy and game design adjustments (Only included in next-gen versions of SoFS)
- Various balancing tweaks (Included in all versions of SoFS, will be added in the 1.10 Patch for existing users)

Included DLC:
- DLC1 (Included in all versions of SoFS, not included in the 1.10 Patch)
- DLC2 (Included in all versions of SoFS, not included in the 1.10 Patch)
- DLC3 (Included in all versions of SoFS, not included in the 1.10 Patch)

- Supports existing save data (Supported for all last-gen versions of SoFS and the 1.10 Patch, not supported for next-gen versions of SoFS)

- Game Server Region (PS3 = A, 360 = B, PC(DX9) = C, PS4 = D, XBO = E, PC(DX11) = F)

Distribution:
- Retail
- Digital

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=140312641&postcount=536

Scamco.

edit5, Patrick Klepek of Giant Bomb weighs in confirming a paid upgrade:

On mobile so can't edit OP yet, but Patrick Klepek weighs in :
http://robotbrush.com/screenshots/2014-11-25_19-03-11.jpg

It won't look like the alpha version of the game, it still looks the same, look at the trailer, also, you don't have to buy it again on PC, you get the new patch for free.

This is talking about people in japan lol

Nevermind, the patch won't include DX11 or any graphical enhancements, FROM played us good by promising a good looking game, then releasing a bad looking game, then selling the so called good looking game as a re-release.

Niiiiiiice, this should be illegal.

Originally posted by PsychoDino:

This is talking about people in japan lol

http://bandainamcous.tumblr.com/post/103526088996/were-very-excited-to-announce-dark-souls-ii

Yeah this game market needs to crash harder than 83.

dude, the upgrade is for free for those who own the game ...yeah we should have it in DirectX11 since the beginning but at least the owners will get it for free

Originally posted by Blackened Halo:

dude, the upgrade is for free for those who ow the game ...yeah we should have it i DirectX11 since the beginning but at least the owners will get it for free

You don't get the DX11 upgrade for free, though.

Ah, sneaky wording in the article then. I believed we would get the DirectX 11 version for free too but if we're only getting everything but the DirectX 11 version for free then... that's still pretty good lol.

Implementing DirectX 11 support is nowhere near the same thing as simply releasing a HD Texture Pack. DirectX 11 involves actual work (If the textures were always available in a high resolution to begin with but then downscaled when packaged with the public version of the game).

I'm okay with the Dx 11 mode requiring say, $5 to purchase. I'm pretty pumped to see what they change with the game and if they'll implement any decent engine fixes for both versions of the game.

FROM, seriously, just seriously..

*sigh*

If it's not just mistranslations or something, I expect the re-release to get pirated to high heaven. Paying for an engine upgrade is just stupid beyond words. If it makes the game look similar to its pre-release footage, then FROM are becoming like these big publishers re-releasing their 'definitive' versions of games.

Originally posted by DAOWAce:

FROM, seriously, just seriously..

*sigh*

If it's not just mistranslations or something, I expect the re-release to get pirated to high heaven. Paying for an engine upgrade is just stupid beyond words.

Paying for a HD Texture Pack when the game was originally developed with HD textures is stupid, hence developers often release the HD textures for free (Like Skyrim for example). However with a engine change a LOT of work is involved, especially involving much more specialized (expensive) people.

The best part is, I bet soul memory won't be fixed AND the community will be split.

Originally posted by RoboitoAM:

The best part is, I bet soul memory won't be fixed AND the community will be split.

I doubt it will be split, since they're updating the DX9 game too, so, we could be playing on the same servers.

Originally posted by Nicholas Steel:

snip

You don't charge for an engine upgrade on PC.

Consoles are a completely different story, since you can't patch a PS3 to a PS4.

Originally posted by ★:

Originally posted by RoboitoAM:

The best part is, I bet soul memory won't be fixed AND the community will be split.

I doubt it will be split, since they're updating the DX9 game too, so, we could be playing on the same servers.

"Increase in maximum online players in single session (6 total)" for DX11. If it weren't splitting anybody, it'd be in both versions.

I have no hope at this point.