After EA and Bethesda avoided making direct reference to the weekend's lethal shooting in Orlando, Microsoft opened its E3 press conference this year with a moment of silence for the victims of the attack. A short statement on the attack ran before Microsoft started showing off its slate of upcoming games, with the company directing its comments to those affected by the shooting, saying that "the gaming community mourns with you."

News of the homophobic attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando arrived as E3 — the biggest event in the video game calendar — began in Los Angeles. EA and Bethesda, whose press conferences took place on Sunday, didn't address the attack directly during their keynotes, but Bethesda's presenters all wore rainbow ribbons on stage in solidarity with the LGBT people targeted in the weekend's horrific assault. Bethesda also tweeted its condolences for the victims of the attack, and changed its Twitter avatar, giving it a rainbow background in support.