▁game ▁engine , ▁which ▁the ▁team ▁updated ▁for ▁the ▁project . ▁Visual ▁up gr ades ▁were ▁included ▁as ▁well . ▁ ▁In ▁early ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁Inter active ▁Magic ▁confirmed ▁the ▁spring ▁release ▁date ▁for ▁Ca esar , ▁and ▁announced ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁ce ase ▁publishing ▁Great ▁Batt les ▁titles ▁there after . ▁Computer ▁G aming ▁World ▁w arg ame ▁column ist ▁Terry ▁Cole man ▁l ament ed ▁this ▁decision , ▁which ▁he ▁called ▁" a ▁real ▁shame ▁for ▁fans ▁of ▁[ G MT ▁Games '] ▁Sam ur ai ▁in ▁particular ". ▁Later ▁in ▁January , ▁the ▁publish er ▁gave ▁Ca esar ▁a ▁fir mer ▁release ▁date ▁of ▁March . ▁Er ud ite ▁completed ▁the ▁game ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 1 , ▁and ▁it ▁launch ▁on ▁the ▁ 2 6 th . ▁ ▁Re ception ▁ ▁The ▁Great ▁Batt les ▁of ▁Ca esar ▁was ▁the ▁runner - up ▁for ▁Computer ▁G aming ▁World s ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁" Best ▁W arg ame " ▁award , ▁which ▁ultimately ▁went ▁to ▁The ▁Oper ational ▁Art ▁of ▁War . ▁The ▁edit ors ▁wrote ▁of ▁Ca esar , ▁" With ▁improved ▁graphics , ▁ag gress ive ▁A I , ▁a ▁solid ▁campaign , ▁and ▁an ▁excellent ▁scenario ▁editor , ▁it ' s ▁the ▁best ▁anci ents ▁game ▁in ▁more ▁than ▁a ▁de cade ▁for ▁the ▁PC ." ▁ ▁Computer ▁G aming ▁World s ▁Jim ▁C obb ▁called ▁Ca esar ▁" not ▁only ▁the ▁best ▁of ▁the ▁Great ▁Batt les ▁series ▁to