Board Thread:Dark Souls II/@comment-24413006-20140328220812/@comment-5264386-20140328221334

The "Play Online" option is probably only for accessing online play if you load the game whilst not connected to the Internet. Also, it's been pretty common for no red phantom invasions to occur in NG, due to the Soul Memory system. But once you get up to the Belfry Luna, you'll get invaded plenty of times.