The card firm is backing game developer Zynga's Winter Wonderland expansion, which sees a "friendly orange Yeti use his Discover card to do his holiday shopping".

From tomorrow, players can get an early look by visiting Discover's farm within the game, with a full launch on 5 December ahead of a two week run.

The firm is giving away a free virtual gift for people visiting Zynga's latest creation. Players can also earn up to three branded farm items for completing different tasks, for which details and tips can be obtained by becoming a Discover fan on Facebook.

Mike Boush, VP, e-business, Discover, says: "Social games bring people together into virtual communities. They're captivating increasingly larger online audiences that include many of our Discover cardmembers. Partnering with Zynga to develop a unique in-game experience helps us connect and engage with players and put more fun in time spent online."

Discover joins Capital One, Citi and American Express in expanding its operations into the rapidly expanding gaming market.