Tanimura talks next-gen and changes to coop covenants

A friend of mine sent me this article this morning, and there's some interesting discussion about the chances of a Souls game hitting next gen.  But what caught my eye the most is hints at something I've been asking for for as long as I've been playing dark souls:  a coop centered covenant with an auto-summon feature:

http://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/18/dark-souls-2-director-tanimura-on-next-gen-physics-covenants-f/

Pledging an oath with 'The Way of Blue' covenant, for example, automatically calls a blue phantom sentinel to the player's side whenever they're invaded. Meanwhile, another covenant will let you become the blue sentinel itself, called to other players' sides. Of course, there'll be covenants that will help with invading other players, for those itching to get in the way of others' progress.

I always envisioned something like a coop ring, but honestly, anything that makes for seamless coop on a more frequent basis would be fantastic.

Im pretty sure the way of blue and sentinel covenants are only activated upon being invaded. 

Once the message you are being invaded pops up, it may prompt the matchmaking for coop. I say this because although they are greatly enhancing multiplayer, they are restricting coop to the point of limiting the time a white phantom may stay in the hosts world.