It is with a heavy heart I tell Sims 3 is not supported on macOS 10.15. I have, with @Bluebellflora 's help managed to keep the game running all up to High Sierra, but this update appears to have been the last straw that broke the camel's back. Since macOS 10.15 Catalina does not support 32-bit programs, The Sims 3, as well as SimCity 2013, got deactivated when I finished the operating system update. That means, on its very 10th birthday, this legendary game will be kept in our memory ❤️Well.. unless EA suddenly would make a fake 64-bit script as with Sims 4, but I don't have high hopes 😢

@jbd00 Yes, we know Catalina doesn't run 32-bit apps. We've been expecting this development for over a year; in fact, it was originally rumored that Mojave would drop 32-bit support, but that was pushed back one OS. I'm sorry you didn't know before updating, but that's why it's important to read carefully before installing a beta version of anything, especially an operating system. If you have access to another Mac that hasn't been upgraded, you can use it to install Mojave on an external hard drive or USB and play the game that way. https://bluebellflora.com/running-32-bit-apps-after-macos-mojave/ Or you could do what I did last year and Bootcamp your Mac. It's not all that complicated, and all your Origin games will run just fine in Windows 10.

Can't run The Sims 3 on macOS Catalina

11 Replies

puzzlezaddict
Hero+
6 years ago
@jbd00 Yes, we know Catalina doesn't run 32-bit apps. We've been expecting this development for over a year; in fact, it was originally rumored that Mojave would drop 32-bit support, but that was pushed back one OS. I'm sorry you didn't know before updating, but that's why it's important to read carefully before installing a beta version of anything, especially an operating system.

If you have access to another Mac that hasn't been upgraded, you can use it to install Mojave on an external hard drive or USB and play the game that way.

https://bluebellflora.com/running-32-bit-apps-after-macos-mojave/

Or you could do what I did last year and Bootcamp your Mac. It's not all that complicated, and all your Origin games will run just fine in Windows 10.
jbd00
6 years ago
Yep (: I am running it on my bootcamp, but my preffered playstyle for this game will always be my main Mac. I did know it, because I got warned by the Mac before I updated. Just sad that we managed to jump swiftly over every obstacle that came with every new macOS, there of course had to be one that were just like NOPE --
This was meant to be a comment to EA as a little complaint that it was quite depressing seeing this amazing game getting discontinued on macOS on its very tenth birthday.. Have a nice day ^^
kingcharlie2005
6 years ago
i also have catalina does that mean i will never be a ble to play sims
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
6 years ago
@kingcharlie2005 You can't run Sims 3 in Catalina at all. If you want to play the game, you have two options. The first is to install Mojave on an external hard drive. You'd need temporary access to a Mac running Mojave to do this; maybe you can borrow one from a friend. Bluebellflora wrote a guide for the process here:

https://bluebellflora.com/running-32-bit-apps-after-macos-mojave/

You could also install a virtual machine on your Mac, as described in the above article. Or you could partition your hard drive and install Windows on one side of it. This is known as Bootcamping, and it's surprisingly easy on newer Macs. Sims 3 runs better in Windows than it ever did in macOS, and some of us (myself included) have set up our Macs this way just to play the game properly. The way it works is that you restart your computer and choose to boot into Windows, and then everything works like it would on a PC. If you'd like more information on this, let me know.

All of the above applies to Sims 3, not Sims 4. The reason that Sims 4 currently doesn't run on Catalina is that the ActivationUI is still 32-bit, even though the game is 64-bit. EA will sort this out sooner or later, hopefully by the time Catalina is released to the general public, and when it's fixed, Sims 4 will be playable again.
aprahl4
6 years ago
Hi!
Can I have more info on how to run my Mac like a Windows and play the game that way? I would really appreciate it!
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
6 years ago
@aprahl4 How you go about installing Windows depends partly on your preference, and partly on the specs of your Mac. So please post those specs, as described here:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-Mac/READ-FIRST-Sims-3-Mac-Help-Guides-and-Troubleshooting/m-p/4756624#M2878

Please also let me know how much free storage you have. )On the About This Mac screen, click the Storage tab to see.) Windows needs quite a bit of space to maneuver.
krecha_ae
6 years ago
EA announced planned release of 64-bit version here: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-Mac/An-announcement-for-The-Sims-3-players-on-Mac/td-p/8271641
MissxKayla
5 years ago
@krecha_ae Thank you so much! I was really upset that I wouldn't be able to play anymore.
Nickc1968
5 years ago
Your best bet would to Partition your hard drive and install Mojave On your second partition of your drive.. you will need to download Mojave and “Install Disk Creator” the program Is from macdaddy this software will make a Bootable USB for any macOS/OSX.

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any date loss that may occur. Make sure you back up all your data before proceeding.

I suggest looking at some YouTube videos on how to Duel-booting macOS.

Install disk creator:

[Removed, please don't link unverified 3rd party apps]

Mojave:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210190

Hope this helps🙂
Seh_Strom
5 years ago
LMAO I almost threw my MacBook at a wall five minutes ago because i just updated to Catalina this afternoon, tried to play Sims and now I read this....if only EA developers were as easily scared by words as my boyfriend was minutes ago. Gonna go mourn my dysfunctional families and lavish houses now...