Ubisoft has already proved that even if it's a single-player game and you only need to be online as a DRM check, it can and will fail miserably.
The point is that you can't have the pirated/cracked version of a game be superior to the legit version, because that directly produces piracy. And I can guarantee that if the rumors really are true, then the consoles will be hacked VERY quickly.
If they have lots of benefits for being online, but still allow you to play offline without those features, then that would be the best option. That's what Steam does,
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_foolmo_
'Ulti is like when your parents post something on your facebook status' - Sir Cobain