I will take it a step further. If the developer abandons the niche that made it, I will abandon the game that needlessly caved to petty greed and essentially destroyed something truly beautiful and far too rare today. If I have to be the hardliner on this (as if Im not normally), So be it. It is categorically wrong, Such player base abandonment simply cannot be tolerated and personally WILL not be tolerated.
Simply out of pure love and adoration for what Souls offers, trying to see some sort of tolerable compromise, For me, It would require a LOT.
A: Absolutely NO access to multi player in any shape or form for "easy mode" (Might consider if for only the purpose of non co-op PVP, and even that would require that access to be limited to only other like difficulty players.
B: Have extensive parts of the game difficulty blocked like old school games used to do for endings for those weakling their way through easy mode. (If you cant play up to what is actually a very Low bar, then you shouldnt be able to reap all, or even most the rewards for half assing your way through the content).
C: Substantial narrative development, and I am talking quite literally on Bioware/Bethesda RPG if not greater level. You can even make it text based in order to save on overall resources by simply adding a lore/book system that allows you to seek out rare tomes, that can grant you new special (But still severely underpowered)abilities, or act as a quest system directing you to obscure and hard to obtain items and gear.
D: "Normal" mode has to be ramped up in difficulty, Like NG+++ or better.
E: Addition of much more advanced logic puzzle mechanics (Not just some "turn lever for effect") that forces you to think your way through the resolution rather than trial and error nonsense. Even with some permafail puzzles (They can heavily punish you for failure, so long as none of them are absolutely game breaking, requiring a full reroll) A LOT can be done with things like dialog puzzles.
F: Opposite expansion with "Impossible" mode
1:much more adaptive AI that is capable of learning your techniques to counteract you
2: Massive HP boost to all mobs across the board, forcing you to have to "outlast" opponents.
3: Increased aggro radius
4: More advanced NPC socialization that can unpredictably run for reinforcements, Or run you headlong into not yet explored set areas, or even purposely try to utilize environmental hazards such as trying to proactively push you off cliffs or kick you into nearby fires.
G: Extra credit: Some procedurally generated content that makes it impossible to do proper "walkthroughs" on.
Essentially a game whos content at its highest level is not only so difficult that only the most skilled and dedicated can ever hope to manage their way through it, but something so brütally difficult that even the best players will struggle and quite literally take hundreds if not thousands of hours to complete. Something that you can buy in 2012, and still not be "done" by 2015. A second life of sorts, albeit it a malevolent and sado masochistic one. Something that makes "Real life" look easy by comparison.
Basically the only way to right the wrong of "easy mode" is to effectively neuter it and do what the franchise is known for, Dial it up to 11 and rip the knob off so as to get the full experience of the game requires you to accomplish something that the largest bulk of players lack both the skill and perseverance to accomplish, Restoring the "Badge of Honor" and the true sense of accomplishment that "easy mode" would destroy as well as rewarding and incentivizing players to work through the hardest of difficulty.
I admit, what I think can negate EM is essentially adding an entire extra games worth of mechanics into souls, but honestly for not only what Souls does, but the fact that virtually impossible to fill that niche elsewhere at this time, it would have to do so much more to undo the damage EM would do. And to me, if the franchise abandons everything I loved about it, expecting massive concessions is not entirely unreasonable. (OK, I would potentially give up on the expansive narrative, as long as there was a clearly noticeable expansion of it. Yes, those are the types of things that would have to also be added to negate EM enough for me to forgive EM and actually purchase it. Realistically, it might require waiting for a new console generation in order to have as much horsepower as would likely to be needed for that much on top of an already packed system of mechanics.
Other thought: Cant recall who said it, but in response, I dont think 100% of the enjoyment of Souls is derived from the difficulty. Much of the enjoyment is derived from the overall technical prowess in its combat system as well as the very tangible benefits that can be obtained from its leveling/skill/magic/miracle systems. I know personally I derive great joy from abstract skills such as pulling, and timing within its combat mechanics.
