As far as unlocking the next difficulty goes...

[Platysaur]

Can I beat the game on Normal and unlock the difficulty after Hard, or do you have to beat the game on Hard in order to do so? Do we even know yet?

[Owain Dark]

5 minutes ago, Platysaur said:

Can I beat the game on Normal and unlock the difficulty after Hard, or do you have to beat the game on Hard in order to do so? Do we even know yet?

Do you mean lunatic? The new Famitsu Scans show an Interview, where one of the director says day 1/post launch patch will add lunatic 

[Platysaur]

Just now, Owain Dark said:

Do you mean lunatic? The new Famitsu Scans show an Interview, where one of the director says day 1/post launch patch will add lunatic 

Wasn't aware there was lunatic. I know that from those who've played it that you start out with a Normal and Hard difficulty, but that there are also two other options available either after you beat the game on any difficulty or on Hard.

[Pikappa93]

2 minutes ago, Owain Dark said:

Do you mean lunatic? The new Famitsu Scans show an Interview, where one of the director says day 1/post launch patch will add lunatic 

Wait, so that would be

Spoiler

A fifth difficulty along with Maddening and Infernal? 

 

[Owain Dark]

Heres the screen where Director says it

 

[Platysaur]

1 minute ago, Owain Dark said:

Heres the screen where Director says it

 

So that makes five difficulties. Still, it doesn't answer my initial question if anyone knows it: do you need to play Hard to unlock the upper difficulties?

[Modirufa6317]

It's likely maddening & lunatic are one and the same since they are synonymous.

Not surprised by the news : they did anounced several free updates a while ago, so an extra difficulty is an easy fit. Unfortunately, we probably won't be able to play it until the end of the year, according to the official website...

Spoiler

And the remaing question is whether infernal is unlocked by beating lunatic or will be in the second free update.

 

Edited July 24, 2019 by Modirufa6317

[Druplesnubb]

Spoiler

It's likely that Maddening and Infernal are just holdovers from before the difficulty levels were finalized. SoV apparently also had a file for Lunatic found during datamining.