Well, yes and no.
I think in this case no. Because online being a requirement would lose them far more customers than it would gain. Of the customers they do manage to get, most would not buy much digital content given they'd more than likely know that that content is useless now and in the future without a connection. Even more so if and when Microsoft shuts down those Live servers.
I mean, I've bought around 50 arcade games and a handful of games on demand, some DLC etc etc. no fucking way in hell will I buy much if at all on this new Xbox if I know a connection is required. I'm the customer Microsoft wants, and they wouldn't get much out of me if they go through with this.
So again, there is title rally no monetary value in this for Microsoft. So you can't have MS haters on their high horse on one hand claiming Microsoft are an evil money hungry organization, but then they can fully believe Microsoft would make an anti consumer move that makes them NO money.
Surely you see how illogical that is?