Leading the Charge: Rebecka Coutaz's Path to Gaming Excellence
Exploring the journey, insights, and vision of DICE's VP General Manager.
For Women's History Month, we embark on a series of articles celebrating the remarkable contributions of our Studio leadership. In this inaugural piece, we shine a spotlight on Rebecka Coutaz, Vice President and General Manager at DICE, whose journey in gaming exemplifies the power of leadership.
With a gaming career spanning over two decades, Rebecka Coutaz exemplifies the drive, creativity, and vision women bring to the forefront of interactive entertainment.
Getting to Know Rebecka Coutaz
Coutaz's journey at Electronic Arts began in November 2021, marking her tenure just weeks after the release of Battlefield 2042. As she stepped into her role as VP General Manager of DICE, Coutaz embarked on a journey of growth and evolution within the company. Reflecting on her trajectory, she notes how her position has transformed over time, mirroring the changes within the game itself and the franchise as a whole.
Q: What was your role when you first started at EA, and how has it grown since you've been here?
“I joined as the Vice President and General Manager of DICE. And, of course, the role has evolved a lot since then. We've had major changes to the Battlefield 2042 game and Battlefield franchise, and it's still evolving every day.
When we released the game, we had a lot of work to do. We made the big decision to move the release date of our first Season out by a few months. When we got to the Season 1 release, I remember the situation room feeling like we were at NASA – you press the button, the new content is out, and then we see all the players on the screens in front of us. We had worked so hard to get there. So that's my first really, really memorable milestone, I would say.
And then secondly, I would say it's when we had our first DICE Town Hall in real life. So now we have a DICE Town Hall every four months. The energy we get from those kinds of gatherings and those kinds of meetings, having the entire team together. It's just amazing.”
Q: Do you have a background in gaming as well?
“Oh, yes. I've been making games full-time since 1998. But I actually started in localization testing back in 1995. So, I've been making games my entire adult life.
I'm considered a veteran in the industry. And so I've been working for different public companies all through my career, creating games and gaming experiences for players.
I've always been super interested in entertainment and in gaming. And what really pulled the trigger when I started in the industry was the passion of the people. That's when I knew that this is what I was going to do for the rest of my life: to be able to work with people who are so passionate, who work with their hearts and stomachs – and who are so committed to sharing their creations with players.”
Navigating Female Leadership in Gaming
Beyond individual achievements, Coutaz emphasizes the importance of fostering a supportive and inclusive environment within her team. Recognizing the value of diversity, she stresses the need for teams to reflect the diverse player base. Coutaz has played a pivotal role in promoting diversity within DICE, with a significant number of the studio's leadership team being female. This achievement continues to inspire and attract more women to the industry.
Q: How do you perceive the role of women in shaping the future of Electronic Arts, particularly within DICE?
“Today, we create games for everyone, old and young, and different nationalities and backgrounds. So what's very important for me is that our teams reflect our different players to be able to make the best creations and the best player experiences.
It's so enriching to have diversified teams because you have different perspectives and different inputs in terms of creativity and innovation. So it's super important that we continue to train our managers and our leaders to be excellent in managing diversified teams. The beauty of the diversified thinking that comes with those teams is well worth it.”
Q: How do you foster a supportive and inclusive environment for your team members?
“I am the first female General Manager of DICE since the studio was created back in 1993, and sometimes you only need one change to be able to attract a diversified team. I'm very proud of the DICE studio leadership team that we have today because, of course, it's me as a General Manager. Still, we also have our Chief of Staff who is a woman, our Studio Head of Creative is a woman; our Director of Product Development is a woman, and so are a large number of the studio leadership team – and that attracts even more women.
And I think what's super important also is to have very clear roles, responsibilities, and expectations. When a person doesn't know what to do in a safe environment, they can say, ‘I don't know how to do this,’ or ‘To be able to do this, I need this.’
And mistakes are okay. We are creators. To be able to push our innovations and to push our creativity, we take enormous risks, so failure has to be allowed. It cannot be perfect. And sometimes we fail, and we go back to the drawing board, and we start all over again.”
Adapting to the Changing Landscape
Looking ahead, Coutaz envisions a gaming industry that continues to evolve and adapt to the changing landscape and player expectations. She emphasizes the pivotal role of technology as a foundation for game creation and underscores the transformative impact of technology in enabling more immersive gaming experiences. She underscores how advancements in technology, coupled with increased accessibility and community engagement, have reshaped the gaming landscape, democratizing the industry and fostering a diverse pool of talent from around the world.
Q: In what ways has the landscape of interactive entertainment changed over the years?
“The technology, the business model, our players, the platforms, the way we play, the way we consume entertainment and games, the growth of our online capacity. I don't even know where to start.
The technology is super important for us as a base for what we are going to create but also for how our players themselves create, watch, connect, and play. And, of course, expanding from single-player games to being able to play across the globe, whether you're based in Hong Kong or Detroit – even cross-platform, I would say that is, for me, a major, major change.
The technology also allows us to create more and more immersive experiences. You know, when I started my career, a game lasted for five to six hours. And today, we can create them to be more or less endless if we would like to.
Also, one thing that is super important to me is that today, we are in contact with our players in real-time. At the beginning of my career, when players encountered a bug, they called a hotline. The hotline contacted the developers, and we tried to find a workaround. Today, we are in contact with our players in real time, so we know what they like and can ask them questions.
And, when I started off my career, you couldn't go to university to learn how to make video games. We had to learn how to make games as autodidacts. Today, you can go and learn about gameplay programming, game design, community management, etc. So, the amount of talent that we have now is nothing compared to when I started my career nearly 30 years ago., and it comes from all over the world.
And then, of course, we have so many more tools that are available for us to create better gaming experiences today. And I think these tools allow us to democratize. Today, it's probably easier to enter our industry because you can play around, you can self-publish, you can publish within existing platforms like Fortnite and Roblox, etc. And even though it's still really hard to make games, I think that the [lack of] barriers today makes it easier.”
Building a More Inclusive Industry
To aspiring women looking to make their mark in the industry, Coutaz offers a simple yet powerful message: "Take the seat at the table, raise your voice; your opinion, your input is as powerful as any." Coutaz encourages women to join the ranks of gaming professionals and be part of shaping the future of gaming.
In celebrating Rebecka Coutaz's leadership in gaming, we not only recognize her individual achievements but also the broader contributions of women in shaping the landscape of interactive entertainment. Coutaz stands as a beacon of inspiration for future generations of female leaders in gaming.
