GameStop Corp. and Jolt Online Gaming announced the launch of their first free-to-play program involving the Legends of Zork online game and a companion consumer sweepstakes offering one year of free video games as the grand prize. To enter the sweepstakes, simply pick up a free promotional card at any U.S. GameStop location and register with the unique code at www.LegendsOfZork.com. Legends of Zork is free to play from any Internet browser (no download required).

The Legends of Zork promotional cards are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis exclusively to GameStop customers. Players who pick up a free promo card will also receive a limited edition ‘Steampunk Knight’ in-game avatar. The sweepstakes starts today and ends April 30, 2010. Complete game and sweepstakes details, including the grand prize value, can be found at www.LegendsOFZork.com.

The Legends of Zork promotion is the first consumer initiative launched by GameStop and Jolt Online Gaming. Dublin, Ireland-based Jolt is a global publisher and aggregator of free-to-play browser games. Jolt is functioning as an independent GameStop operating unit under the direction of company founder and Chief Executive Officer Dylan Collins, and is now a part of GameStop’s Digital Ventures division.

“GameStop provides Jolt with a great opportunity to expand its reach and influence in the digital gaming space with immediate access to millions of customers a year,” Collins said. “We will continue working with publishers and IP holders to develop their properties for the free-to-play market, and then leverage GameStop’s global retail footprint to offer those games as exclusive content to customers.”

According to J. Paul Raines, GameStop’s chief operating officer, Jolt is a way to offer content owners the ability to bring new gaming opportunities to market in a fresh and exciting way. He said Jolt will be exclusive to GameStop and, as such, will be used to benefit GameStop’s business partners.

“Legends of Zork is an example of how Jolt helps us build our digital business platform,” said Raines. “This initiative will help us leverage the growing free-to-play game genre with GameStop’s robust global multi-channel distribution network.”