Wii U Sniper Elite V2 lacks online play and DLC

The Wii U version of shooter Sniper Elite V2 does not include some of the features on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 version - and customers aren't happy.

The Wii U version launched last week and gamers quickly discovered it lacked online play, leaderboards and the downloadable content already released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 - this despite the game being a year old.

DLC added to the original version post-release includes self-contained single-player missions and a multiplayer expansion, which supported competitive play between players. The Wii U version, then, is a port of vanilla Sniper Elite V2. The image above, courtesy of MyNintendoNews.com, highlights the discrepancy.

Sniper Elite V2 was developed by UK studio Rebellion and published by 505 Games. When contacted by Eurogamer, 505 confirmed the DLC expansions and online functionality from Sniper V2 on PS3 and Xbox 360 were not present in the Wii U version, but declined to explain why.

505's silence on the matter - no doubt an attempt to avoid damaging relations with Nintendo - has sparked speculation. Perhaps budget constraints forced Rebellion's hand. If adding the DLC features to the game would have come at a cost to the independent developer, the Wii U's current low install base may have made a return on investment unlikely.

None of which rules out the DLC coming to the Wii U version at some point in the future, but at this stage it looks unlikely.