Developed by World Forge and published by Playlogic, it was released in Russia in December 2006, in Europe and North America in April 2007, and in Australia in October 2007.

Issuing a breach of contract notice, World Forge claimed that the rights to the game had reverted to them, so they sued Playlogic.

Although some critics praised the graphics and the ability for the player to arm their soldiers with opponents' discarded weaponry, many found the game's pace too slow and the combat devoid of strategy.

To achieve this end, the player must engage in some basic economic micromanagement, such as gathering resources, constructing buildings, and researching new technologies, abilities, weapons, ships, and war machines.

[10][11] Whether playing in single-player or multiplayer mode, each game begins roughly the same way; the player is positioned at a set location on the map, usually with a prebuilt base building, and often with a certain number of soldiers and/or workers.

[17][18] Each of the three races has its own unique buildings, heroes, soldiers, support troops, special abilities, and war machines.

[39] In the town of Sais, Inaros (grandson of Psamtik III, last Pharaoh of the Twenty-Sixth Dynasty) has been appointed to oversee the Egyptians' training.

The combined forces of the Greeks and the Egyptians capture Sais, and Inaros then marches to Memphis, where Megabyzus has assembled a massive army.

[41] In 490 BC, five years prior to the Egyptian revolt, the first Persian invasion of Greece ends with King Darius returning to Persia in disgrace having been defeated by the Athenians at the Battle of Marathon.

Artabuzes attempts to stage a coup, but he is defeated and killed by an army led by Demaratus and Xerxes's senior-most general, Mardonius.

Xerxes, obsessed with conquering all of the known world, and against the advice of Artanbanus, orders his weary army to continue the fight without allowing them to rest.

With the rest of Greece, including even Spartan civilians, thinking his resistance is doomed to failure, Leonidas's nephew Pausanias is sent to talk him out of fighting.

40 years prior, Leonidas's father, Anaxandridas, exiled his own brother, Demaratus, and seized the throne, leading Sparta into an age of aggression.

When he died, Leonidas inherited a land devastated by conflict and surrounded by enemies, but he continued his father's belligerent ways.

As he returns to the city, Leonidas comes to see the truth in Candaules's cautions, accepting that by continuing his father's violence, he has brought hardship on himself and Sparta.

After hearing of the sacrifice made by the Spartans, thousands of Greeks join the struggle, even the Athenians, who are led by Miltiades, a veteran of the Battle of Marathon.

In the wake of their victory, Pausanias declares that "the time for enmity is over," telling Miltiades, "let our friendship be the shield that protects our land forever."

Of course, the stone, scissor, paper rules play a big part in Sparta, but in terms of tactics, we will add several features to the genre that are totally unique and have never been seen before.

They will really add stunning new gaming experiences, enable much greater tactical variety, and require much better understanding of ancient warfare.

In most common ancient RTS games, it has just been kind of "which player had more and better units and tank-rushed the other fastest," but in Sparta, you will get several other possible ways to achieve your goals.

[5][51] On June 18, 2007, World Forge posted on their website; Software developer World Forge today announces that because of the multiple material breaches committed by Playlogic Publishing company [sic] the agreement for the development of Ancient Wars: Sparta game [sic] was terminated since 1st June 2007.

All rights for Ancient Wars: Sparta since 1 June 2007 unconditionally were reverted back to World Forge, and Play Ten Interactive was appointed as a worldwide agent for the game on the same date.

According to the lawsuit, Playlogic continued to promise payment, but no money ever changed hands, and when the breach cure period of thirty days expired, World Forge asserted that the rights to the game returned to them.

[50] In an interview with Gamasutra on September 26, World Forge's legal counsel, Anna Zaeva, explained that Playlogic was the worldwide publisher, but distribution rights for most of the territories were acquired from them by Eidos.

The obvious objective of World Forge is to interfere in the good business relation Playlogic has with its distributors, and to try to obtain the IP rights of this successful title.

[53]In November, Playlogic won the lawsuit, when the District Court of Amsterdam concluded that all rights to the game belonged to them and had never reverted to World Forge.

"[7] IGN's Dan Adams scored it 6 out of 10, arguing that combat was boring and lacked any kind of tactical complexity, with each mission "devolving into simply massing units and attacking."

He was also critical of the voice acting, and he concluded, "Ancient Wars: Sparta doesn't have anything special in a genre filled with incredible game experiences.

"[20] In his UK review for IGN, Martin Korda scored it 5.8 out of 10, criticising the voice acting and the script, and writing "this is a game we've all played before in virtually every aspect."

He was also critical of the game's "pedestrian pace", which he felt was its main problem, and the lack of tactics, arguing that most battles turn into "mass, mindless brawls".