'The Walking Dead' takes top honors at Spike VGAs

Brett Molina, USA TODAY | USATODAY

The Walking Dead: The Game dominated the Spike TV Video Game Awards on Friday, snagging five awards including Game of the Year.

The downloadable title from episodic adventure game pioneers Telltale Games also earned Studio of the Year. The Walking Dead is a five-part digital title based on the hit comic book franchise. It stars Lee Everett, a convict headed to prison who experiences a significant turn of fortune amid a zombie apocalypse.

Open-world, first-person shooter Borderlands 2 wasn't far behind, bringing home four awards including Best Shooter and Best Multiplayer. The Sony PlayStation 3 download Journey also finished strong, earning three awards including Best Independent Game.

Scroll down for our recap of live updates from the VGAs. For the full list of winners, head to the bottom of this page.

10:58 p.m.: Tenacious D takes the stage for a musical performance. It appears the show is near a close.

10:55 p.m.: Telltale Games takes home the big prizes: Studio of the Year and Game of the Year for The Walking Dead. They also took home three other awards: Best Performance by a Human Female, Best Downloadable Game and Best Adapted Video Game.

10:54 p.m.: One final Sam Jackson Mode, this time for Call of Duty: Black Ops II. "I'm the real Black Ops!," he says.

10:47 p.m.: It's a combat-heavy premiere, with lots of action on the Skylines. Player just took the Skyhook and jammed it into an enemy's head. Oh my.

10:45 p.m.: Irrational Games' Ken Levine is up next to introduce BioShock Infinite, which shifted its launch date to late March. If it's as good as it appears so far, it will be well worth the wait.

10:43 p.m.: Johnny Galecki of The Big Bang Theory makes a surprise appearance to reveal Halo 4: Spartan Ops, the series of episodic content for Microsoft's first-person shooter. Episodes will launch digitally over the course of the next several months. Looks promising. First episode debuts Jan. 21.

10:41 p.m.: The Video Game of the Decade winner is Half-Life 2, from Valve Software. Great selection. Now, where's Half-Life 3, already?

10:40 p.m.: Tenacious D brings us to the VGA anniversary portion of the show, unveiling the Best Video Game of the Decade. Nominees include BioShock, Portal, Shadow of the Colossus, Red Dead Redemption, Mass Effect 2, Half-Life 2 and Batman: Arkham City.

10:38 p.m.: We return with another installment of Sam Jackson Mode, this time in Minecraft. A group of characters attempts to greet him with the Gangnam Style dance before Jackson takes them out with a flurry of arrows.

10:31 p.m.: Yay, Claptrap! The chatty robot from Borderlands 2 wins Character of the Year. Great night for developers Gearbox Software. Back to commercial break.

10:29 p.m.: Lara takes out a few enemies with bow and arrow on the VGA giant screen as an orchestra performs on stage. The music has been one of the big highlights of this year's show.

10:27 p.m.: Actress Camilla Luddington (True Blood, Californication) appears to introduce the premiere of Tomb Raider. She knows a little about the project. She happens to be the voice of star Lara Croft.

10:26 p.m.: Time for Sam Jackson Mode, featuring the actor in Dishonored, at a VGA Post-Party. He immediately kills a butler with a handgun. Guess he's passing on the stealth approach.

10:20 p.m.: Commercial time, but not before a quick shout-out to game developer Hideo Kojima for the anniversary of Metal Gear Solid.

10:19 p.m.: Zachary Levi is up next to introduce Gears of War: Judgment, the next title from the studio behind Bulletstorm. It's a prequel that takes place 30 days after Emergence Day.

10:17 p.m.: Our last character of the year is revealed: Commander Shepard from Mass Effect 3. Curious how many video game players are still upset over the game's controversial ending.

10:16 p.m.: Snoop Lion unveils the premiere of The Tyranny of King Washington, the expansion for Assassin's Creed III. It's an alternate take on history featuring a George Washington that chose to rule America as an evil king. Just when it seems this game can't get any better. "One crown, one ruler, and one man to stop King Washington," the trailer concludes.

10:13 p.m.: Marlon Wayans hits the stage after a loooong break to introduce Snoop Dogg, now known as Snoop Lion.

10:05 p.m.: Sam Jackson Mode turns the actor into an Angry Bird. "Never mess with a Jedi," he says as his winged self flies through the sky, cutting through structures with a lightsaber. We return to commercial.

10:03 p.m.: Jackson is back to unveil the best Indie Games: Dust: An Elysian Tale, Fez, Journey and Mark of the Ninja. The winner is PlayStation 3's Journey. The game also snags awards for Best Original Score and Best PlayStation 3 Game.

9:59 p.m.: Our next character of the year is Raul Menendez from Call of Duty: Black Ops II, who I'm sure most owners of the game don't remember because they're too busy enjoying online multiplayer. Now, Linkin Park hits the stage. The band performed a track for Electronic Arts' first-person shooter Medal of Honor: Warfighter.

9:53 p.m.: Commercial time. Wouldn't mind a few more award presentations, but the entertainment in this year's show is much more interesting. A better representation of the medium.

9:51 p.m.: Bethesda's stealth adventure Dishonored wins the award. More proof that video games don't have to be sequels in a late console cycle to have success.

9:50 p.m.: Our second award of the night: Best Action Adventure Game: Assassin's Creed III, Darksiders II, Dishonored and Sleeping Dogs.

9:49 p.m.: Exactly what my self-esteem as a video game player does NOT need: Dark Souls II. Sequel to last year's brutal Dark Souls announced. It's a fantasy role-playing where you die. All. The. Time. However, it's also one of the most rewarding games created.

9:46 p.m.: Actress Jessica Alba on stage, a bit overwhelmed by the positive reaction. "I wanna see you guys every night," she says. Alba introduces another World Premiere. Based on the description, could it be Dark Souls related?

9:45 p.m.: Hey, it's another character of the year: Claptrap from Borderlands 2. Anyone else REALLY hoping he wins? Especially after what happened at his party, I hope so (BL2 fans will relate to this).

9:39 p.m.: Sam Jackson Mode returns, this time in Halo 4. This spoof is really good. Jackson pulls a Mace Windu and rocks the hologram look. The censor's finger must be tired.

9:37 p.m.: Jack Osbourne takes the stage to unveil Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 from Konami. Third-person action game based on vampires? Yes, please.

9:36 p.m.: Joel and Ellie on horseback, abandoned cities strongarmed by police and some of the best visuals of any game. Early Game of the Year 2013 favorite.

9:32 p.m.: Another Character of the Year revealed: Connor from Assassin's Creed III before we get to another premiere: The Last of Us.

9:27 p.m.: And we have commercial break no. 2. Still lacking in awards, but more interesting this time around.

9:26 p.m.: Now moving through Journey, Dishonored and Assassin's Creed III. This is a great tribute. Definitely an upgrade from last year.

9:25 p.m.: Scratch that, it's a musical tribute for all the Game of the Year nominees, starting with Mass Effect 3. Orchestra playing songs from each of the games. Sounds amazing.

9:23 p.m.: Watching "Sam Jackson Mode," which adds the actor to games such as The Walking Dead. Pretty funny stuff. Jackson returns to the stage to feature Game of the Year nomines (and Grammy nominee) Journey.

9:21 p.m.: Show returns with a board meeting featuring game developers and characters such as Master Chief and Mario, which has been interrupted by Future Samuel L. Jackson and Future Neil Patrick Harris. The F-bombs keep flying!

9:15 p.m.: Our first Character of the Year is introduced, Master Chief of Halo 4. After a brief, comical clip, we head to commercial. Fifteen minutes in, one award so far. What does everyone think?

9:14 p.m.:The Phantom Pain is the name. Very mysterious game.

9:12 p.m.: Trailer involves patient inside a hospital trying to escape armed guards, who are killing other patients one by one. Lots of blood and bullets.

9:11 p.m.: Another world premiere is upon us. "You've been in a coma for quite some time," says a doctor, before the patient raises his arm to reveal a prosthetic hook.

9:09 p.m.: Borderlands 2 wins it! They also snag the award for Best Multiplayer, which is very impressive considering the likes of Call of Duty and Halo.

9:07 p.m.: The cast of The Walking Dead takes the stage, to unveil the Best Shooter. Nominees are Borderlands 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Halo 4, and Max Payne 3.

9:06 p.m.: Cartman describes a neverending war between humans and elves over The Stick of Truth. So far, it's South Park at its finest. Classes include Cartman as the Grand Wizard and Kenny as the Princess.

9:05 p.m.: The censors have been busy! But couldn't ask for a better host for this type of show. South Park returns to the screen. Our first "world premiere."

9:04 p.m.: "Whoever's in charge of the bleep button, keep your finger ready," jokes Jackson before dropping his second F-bomb of the night. Wait, make that three.

9:02 p.m.: A very long intro littered with famous quotes fills the event before Samuel L. Jackson walks out. Jack Black and Camilla Luddington (voice of Lara Croft in Tomb Raider) spotted in audience.

9:00 p.m.:South Park: The Stick of Truth kicks things off. This is the upcoming role-playing game from THQ starring Cartman and company. Excellent spoof of The Hobbit. "I'm the wizard, and you're the dwarf, and you will respect my authority," screams Cartman before bludgeoning the hobbit.

Update at 8:58 p.m. ET: In case you missed it, nominees for Game of the Year are Assassin's Creed III, Dishonored, Journey, Mass Effect III and The Walking Dead: The Game. Share your pick for the GOTY below.

We are moments away from the start of the Spike Video Game Awards, honoring the best in the video game business.

Along with several developers and titles leaving Los Angeles with hardware, viewers will be greeted with a series of exclusive looks at upcoming games, including BioShock Infinite and Gears of War Judgment.

Keep this page bookmarked for the latest from the VGAs, and feel free to ask any questions in our Comments section or on Twitter.

Remember, if you have a tablet or smartphone, be sure to check out the interactive features using Xbox Live and the Microsoft SmartGlass app.

SPIKE VIDEO GAME AWARDS 2012 WINNERS

Game of the Year

The Walking Dead: The Game (Telltale Games)

Studio of the Year

Telltale Games

Best Xbox 360 Game

Halo 4 (Microsoft Studios/343 Industries)

Best PS3 Game

Journey (Sony Computer Entertainment/thatgamecompany)

Best Wii / Wii U Game

New Super Mario Bros. U (Nintendo)

Best PC Game

XCOM: Enemy Unknown (2K Games/Firaxis Games)

Best Handheld / Mobile Game

Sound Shapes (Sony Computer Entertainment/Queasy Games)

Best Shooter

Borderlands 2 (2K Games/Gearbox Software)

Best Action Adventure Game

Dishonored (Bethesda Softworks/Arkane Studios)

Best RPG

Mass Effect 3 (Electronic Arts/BioWare)

Best Multiplayer Game

Borderlands 2 (2K Games/Gearbox Software)

Best Individual Sports Game

SSX (Electronic Arts/EA Canada)

Best Team Sports Game

NBA 2K13 (2K Sports/Visual Concepts)

Best Driving Game

Need For Speed Most Wanted (Electronic Arts/Criterion Games)

Best Fighting Game

Persona 4 Arena (Atlus/ARC System Works/Atlus)

Best Adapted Video Game

The Walking Dead: The Game (Telltale Games)

Best Independent Game

Journey (thatgamecompany)

Best Graphics

Halo 4 (Microsoft Studios/343 Industries)

Best Song in a Game

"Cities" by Beck (Sound Shapes)

Best Original Score

Journey (Sony Computer Entertainment/thatgamecompany)

Best Performance By a Human Male

Dameon Clarke as Handsome Jack (Borderlands 2)

Best Performance By a Human Female

Melissa Hutchison as Clementine (The Walking Dead: The Game)

Best Downloadable Game

The Walking Dead: The Game (Telltale Games)

Best Social Game

You Don't Know Jack (Jellyvision Games)

Best DLC

Dawnguard – The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Bethesda Softworks/Bethesda Game Studios)

Most Anticipated Game

Grand Theft Auto V (Rockstar Games)