W-C-(Co) films were deposited on high speed steel substrates by non-reactive r.f. and d.c. sputtering processes from sintered WC targets with 0,6 and 15 wt.% Co. The chemical composition of the coatings was determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry techniques and their structure was studied by X-ray diffraction. Negative substrate bias determines both the chemical composition and the structure of the coatings and its influence was studied systematically in the range from 0 to 400 V. The structure of the films ranges from amorphous to some forms of tungsten carbide: WC, beta-WC1-x, alpha-W2C. The films orientation depends on the deposition procedure and substrate bias value.