Score one for Microsoft as Scoreloop backs Windows Phone 7

Scoreloop is announcing today that it will support Windows Phone 7 as part of its cross-platform social gaming ecosystem. That means that developers can create social games that allow Windows Phone 7 users to play against Android or iPhone users.

The endorsement from Scoreloop is an important one for Microsoft, since Scoreloop is adding about a million users a week to its platform. With its deal with Nokia last week, Microsoft just might have a viable platform in smartphones. It also means that gamers will be able to play each other on any platform, anywhere, one of these days.

Scoreloop creates middleware that developers use to add social features to their games such as leaderboards, challenges, or virtual currency. By using Scoreloop’s software development kit, developers can create games that run on Windows Phone 7 and have access to the same social features that users have on Scoreloop’s other platforms. Those platforms include Android, Bada, Airplay and iOS (iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch).

Munich-based Scoreloop will grant early access to a limited number of developers before making the SDK public to all. Marc Gumpinger, says the goal is to extend social games across the entire mobile landscape.  Rivals include OpenFeint, PapayaMobile, and DeNA/Ngmoco.

Scoreloop was founded in 2008. Investors include Target Partners and Earlybird.