Current version of Monterey is 12.6.1. Please update via System Preferences.
Please can you provide more information about your Mac. Instructions on how to do so and what to provide here - http://answers.ea.com/t5/The-Sims-Mac/READ-FIRST-Sims-4-Mac-Help-Guides-and-Troubleshooting/m-p/4612396/highlight/true#M162
Try a new clean Sims 4 folder and play in that new save for a while to see if the issue persists - https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-Mac/READ-FIRST-Sims-4-Mac-Help-Guides-and-Troubleshooting/m-p/4612394#M163
There have been on and off reports of crashing and freezing from users with your Intel HD Graphics 615. This is most probably down to the weak performance of the chip after adding more content to the game, whether it be packs/kits or just more households and worlds. Ttry the above two suggestions first though and see how you get on.
@Bluebellflora I've updated to Monterey 12.6.1
Here are my Mac specifics (attached). I just had my laptop sent to AppleCare about a lil over a month ago for aesthetic clean-up (keyboard, screen) and it came back beginning of November working just fine. I can tell they replaced the entire keyboard, audio, screen, back cover of the screen, but not the bottom of my computer that's screwed in because that's the only part that still has dents.
I already play the game on the lowest available graphic settings. I haven't added any new content since August of this year. Haven't bought any packs, kits, nothing since August. This problem just started.
I've tried playing on a clean sims 4 folder but it won't really load well past the tutorial stage, and I'm not sure if it's my saves that are the issue. They haven't had any mods or CC in them for over 6 months and I cleared my cache folder. I don't know how any of my save files could get corrupted. I really hope they aren't because I love the saves I have and my last 5 saves of my most recent game file were all when the crashing was occurring.
@smolxbeanx
Ah you have one of the fanless MacBooks. It’s most probably getting far too hot due to the strains the game is putting on the hardware. Over time the parts degrade but this can happen much more quickly if using this model for something as intense as running the game as it has no fan to cool itself down. Instead the operating system throttles power to prevent overheating. This would account for the freezing and crashing. The dual core Intel chip is very underpowered and not designed for any form of gaming.
Why do you think the saves are a problem if you started with a new clean folder? The idea is that none of your user content such as saves etc is loaded. The game should be like new. Did you move your saves into the new folder and try to play those rather than a new clean save?
Yeah, I usually have a fan i use under it anyways, and it has helped. If the parts are damaged like you're saying, it's weird is now it's like overfrying quickly when I just got it repaired versus over the last 2-3 years I've had this laptop. To be clear, I don't mean that I think the saves are the issue, moreso I meant I don't think they should be corrupted. What also doesn't make sense to me is that this freezing and crashing is just starting after I just got my laptop repaired and they should've inspected the parts inside for damage and replaced those as well, and that in the last few weeks I've had periods where this wasn't an issue. Truly this issue started after I exited the household I was playing and tried to start a new scenario.
