Dark Souls 2: Undead Players Can be Invaded

And you were worried they were going to make it easier?!

Dark Souls II will permit you to invade Hollow (undead) players, according to Namco Bandai producer Takeshi Miyazoe.
He made the revelation to OPM when discussing the revamped Covenant system the game plans to put into action. He explained that, despite the changes, certain measures were being put in place to try and prevent new players being griefed by their more experienced counter-parts.

"Before, the matchmaking was based upon player level," he revealed. "That will remain, but we also want to focus on how much time you’ve played the game. Also, there will be penalties for players who invade, but still lose. There are risks. And there will be ‘policemen’ against invaders and a ransom system where if you constantly invade or kill NPCs there will be motivation for summoned players to go after you."

There will be penalties for players who invade, but still lose. There are risks.

This is where the re-vamped Covenant system will come into play, giving players new roles to fulfil. Way of Blue members will automatically summon Blue Sentinels when invaded, while Heirs To The Sun act as heroes summoned by others in both PvP and PvE situations based on how badly they're needed. The Brotherhood of Blood, on the other hand, have an increased capability for invasion, and Bell Keeper apostles will auto-invade those who stroll into a certain area. While there are other unrevealed Covenants, another hinted at is the policeman mentioned earlier, who will serve as a bounty hunter getting revenge on those who enjoy invading a little too much.
Soapstones, the items that enable invading or aiding others, have been reworked too, so they're now time sensitive based on size. If all this sounds intimidating, never fear. The option to play offline remains, though the fact you won't be able to receive help messages or aid against bosses may turn some off the idea.

Dark Souls II will launch on Xbox 360 and PS3 in North America on March 11, 2014, with a European release date three days later on March 14. The PC release should come shortly after, and no DLC is expected for the game.
If you're looking for more information in the meantime, check out a brand new trailer revealing some of the monstrosities we'll face, along with the developer talking about the possibility of the upcoming game coming to PS4 and Xbox One.