@Elowi Do you happen to have iCloud enabled and syncing the contents of Documents? I haven't heard any definitive evidence that this causes crashing in Sims 3, but it's worth checking given when the game crashes. Here's how to prevent iCloud from automatically syncing the contents of Documents. The guide is for a different issue, but the relevant settings are the same.
https://bluebellflora.com/2017/02/06/sims-3-and-sims-4-not-loading-save-games/
If that doesn't help, try updating to the current version of Catalina. It shouldn't matter, but perhaps it somehow does.
I have always had iCloud disabled and there is is no update on Catalina available (at least that's what it says when I press to look for them).
@Elowi The current version of Catalina is 10.15.7. I'm not sure why you aren't seeing an update.
Please run the Origin reset tool for macOS:
https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/origin/origin/how-to-reset-origin-on-mac/
Then disable Origin in-game: hover over your username, select Application Settings, then the Origin in-game header, and disable the option at the top.
Please also move the Sims 3 folder, if you have one, out of Documents > Electronic Arts and onto your desktop.
If the above doesn't help, try putting Origin in offline mode before pressing Play. A further step would be putting it in offline mode and then taking your computer completely offline.
If none of this helps, please try playing in a new user account on your Mac. Make it an admin account, and be sure to use only letters and numbers, no special symbols, accents, etc. in the username.
Please let me know whether any of these steps help, because you're one of a few people affected and I'd like to know how to fix the issue.
I got it to update and tried all your suggestions but to no avail.
@Elowi I'm not sure what else to suggest, but I'll ask if anyone else does. Sorry I can't offer anything better right now. It would be helpful though to see a crash log, as @_LetItBeBeauty attached just above.
@_LetItBeBeauty Please try the steps I listed earlier in the thread:
After you run the Origin reset tool, please repair the game in Origin as well: open your game library, right-click on the Sims 3 icon, and select Repair.
