Sims 3 won't install on MacBook Pro

@htestephanie  I take it your Mac runs Catalina?  If so, that's the issue: Sims 3 is a 32-bit app, and Catalina is 64-bit only.  There's no way around this.  But EA has announced a 64-bit-compatible version of TS3 for macOS, to be released some time this year.  Here's the full announcement:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-Mac/An-announcement-for-The-Sims-3-players-on-Mac/td-p/8271641

In the interim, your only options are to play on another computer, to install Windows on your Mac (via Parallels or Bootcamp), or to install Mojave or earlier on an external drive and play from there.  If you'd like help with any of these options, feel free to ask.

If you'd rather not try those or wait for the new version of TS3, you can request a refund from EA:

https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/account/returns-and-cancellations/

@ilovesurfing77  How did you download and install Windows: Bootcamp or Parallels?  Please post a screenshot of the error you're seeing.

@MaritzaFriis101  To install Mojave on an external hard drive, you'll need temporary access to a Mac running Mojave or earlier, plus you'll want a drive or USB stick of at least 128 GB.  You'll want either a blank one or one that you can partition—installing an OS on a drive or partition will wipe any data already there.  (The other partitions will stay intact.)  This guide describes the process in detail:

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

Once you've installed Mojave, boot into it, install Origin, then download Sims 3.

Hi, having the same problem over here myself from a MacBook Pro running on Catalina. How do you go about trying the options you mentioned? I don't know much about computers. I just know Ive had this Sims 3 game forever and was so excited to get my new laptop because I haven't been able to play it for years now. Kinda sucks it won't work, so Id rather just try to download windows or whatever you said honestly lol 

@mottay0  How much free storage do you have on your hard drive?  The minimum I'd want for the Windows partition in Bootcamp is 100 GB, even if I were only installing Sims 3 and nothing else.  This is a fairly simple process, but I can walk you through it if you want.  Once it was set up, when you wanted to play, you'd restart your computer and hold down the option key to see both partitions, and then you'd choose to boot into Windows.

Parallels would technically work, but the game wouldn't run as well because the drivers aren't nearly as good.  Still, the advantage is you don't need as much free storage, since the two OSs can share.  And of course you wouldn't need to reboot to open the game.

For the option of installing Mojave onto an external drive, this is a good guide, but you'd need at least temporary access to a Mac running Mojave or earlier.

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