Spike's Video Game Awards 2012 Nominees are online, and this announcement summarizes the honorees to be saluted on December 7th by game-lover and noted BAMF Samuel L. Jackson. This includes an Xbox LIVE simulcast with an Xbox Smartglass component as they look to enhance the interactive aspects of the broadcast. Here's an outline of the nominations, which have a good deal more credibility than in the past, as they have put away the dartboard and have turned to a panel of game journalists for assistance:

Leading "VGA TEN," with seven nominations each are "Borderlands 2" (2K Games/Gearbox Software), "Halo 4" (Microsoft Studios/343 Industries) and "Journey" (Sony Computer Entertainment/thatgamecompany). Ubisoft's "Assassin's Creed III," is not far behind with six nominations while Bethesda Softworks' "Dishonored," EA's "Mass Effect 3," and Telltale Games' "The Walking Dead: The Game" all have five nominations each.