Sims 3 launcher keeps taking me back to EA App!! SOMEONE HELP PLS!

@taenbro   There is an issue with thesims3.com store items and cc installed through the launcher downloads. For some reason the EA app is corrupting TS3 downloads. I think EA knows about this issue. First thing I tried is to disable OneDrive from syncing. Microsoft now enables OneDrive by default. There is three to four ways to stop OneDrive. If you need OneDrive you can configure it to ignore the Electronic Arts folder in the user documents folder.

If you are having problems with the launcher downloads while using the EA app - try the following.

1. With the EA app open , click the three bars in the upper left.
2. Click settings.
3. click application.
4. set notifications when in game - set to none.
5. With in game overlay - set to off

After you change these settings the launcher downloadshould start working right..

I had to delete all downloads in the launcher and redownload from thesims3.com store - purchase history.

@taenbro  Even one bad custom content item can preven the game from launching.  You can try removing your cc, but that might not work if it's installed through the launcher.  Instead, try playing in a clean user folder.  Move the entire Sims 3 folder out of Documents > Electronic Arts and onto your desktop, and when you open the launcher, if it opens, a clean folder will spawn with no content.  Don't add anything to it yet; just make sure you can get far enough to start a new save.

If that works, you can start moving your content from the old Sims 3 folder to the new one.  I'd suggest testing your new cc first to figure out what the problem is, that is if you want to use any of it.  By installing it into a clean folder, you can safely test the items one or a few at a time, then discard the entire folder if you run into trouble and create yet another new one.

Once you have your cc sorted out, you can add the rest of the content you'd like to keep.  Here's a description of the data in your user folder so you know what you might want to transfer:

https://sims3.crinrict.com/en/2011/01/faq-user-files.html

If you can't open the launcher even after moving the existing Sims 3 folder, please first make sure that the folder moved and didn't just copy, and check both the local Documents folder and the one in OneDrive (if you use it) for another folder that might also need to be moved or renamed.  If that's not the issue either, please run a dxdiag and attach it to a post.

https://help.ea.com/en/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/

I got a new gaming laptop that had windows 11 pre-installed and I have tried EVERYTHING to get the game to actually run. I still have Origin on my old laptop, updating to windows 11 caused a whole different series of problems there, but I can still launch and play the game. I went so far as to bust out the CDs and install the game that way, but the launcher still just goes away and the game won't open. I have tried all of the launcher bypass work arounds that I can find and every other potential fix I've seen offered. I so frustrated!

@mg75535  If your computer has a 12th- or 13th-gen Intel processor, that's the issue: Sims 3 doesn't start correctly on these CPUs.  The workaround is to limit the game to one core as it's loading.  Please see the accepted solution of this thread for more information:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/Sims-3-won-t-open-Alder-Lake-Intel-12th-gen-CPU/m-p/11057820#M248615

If that's not the issue, please run a dxdiag and attach it to a post.

https://help.ea.com/en/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/

Hi! Im having the same problem, I open The Sims 3 (through EA app/directly throught the file) and the launcher opens but as a hit play it doesnt open and usually takes me back to the EA App.

I have installed DirectX and it helped me open the launcher, but the game wont open,

I have an 13th gen however when I try using the link to your solution I cant find the workaround or steps to limit the game to one core. 

Thank you for your help, anything is appreciated!

I have inserted my DxDiag just in case. 

@Camccq  The specific post that covers the workarounds for this issue is marked as the solution, so it shows up right after the initial post in the thread as well as further in.  But if you want to jump directly to that post, here it is:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/Sims-3-won-t-open-Alder-Lake-Intel-12th-gen-CPU/m-p/11528168#M250997

By the way, please plug your monitor directly into your graphics card, not into your motherboard as is currently the case.  At the moment, the integrated graphics chip is doing the rendering for what you see on-screen, which is a complete waste of your very powerful 3080.  Here's a diagram I like to borrow from someone else, in case it helps:

Thank you so much! This has literally been driving me crazy for the last week and I was finally able to launch the game!

I have this same issue on my new pc i been trying to launch sims 3 and it takes me back to ea app also i have no cc in my game and 2 of my expansion packs will not download.

@SOLAYxFIERCE  I see you've already found the right thread for the issue of the game not launching at all.  For packs not installing, try the suggestion in this thread:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/Troubles-adding-new-stuff-packs-The-Sims-3/m-p/12372752#M256864

This is absolute garbage. I have a monster pc but the game is lagging like *, likely because of this workaround limiting the cpu.