Broken Game

I think maybe some system files might be corrupted on your computer. Searching on Google and Reddit I found this https://rtech.support/guides/dism-sfc/

Try seeing if it helps.

I would try the suggestions here https://sims4.crinrict.com/eng/2014/09/general-troubleshooting/

nikkihii​  Your dxdiag lists a couple crashes of the USB-C driver, so please unplug any USB-C devices you're using and restart your computer before trying to play again.  These crashes may not be serious at all, and restarting without the devices connected may clear up the issue entirely, but please test at least once without them.

If that doesn't help, please remove the saves folder from Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4.  If you can play now, you likely have this issue:

Crashes on Mainmenu | EA Forums - 12139111

If that doesn't help either, move out the entire Sims 4 folder and try again.

Thanks for the reply. I unplugged my mouse, the only device plugged into my laptop, and restarted to no avail. I also tried removing the saves folder and then the entire Sims 4 folder, as you suggested, but those actions did not help either. I had already tried deleting these folders- and uninstalling and reinstalling the entire game and the EA app- before, so the folders were new since the issue anyway. Any next steps?

Thank you. The scan did say that it found and resolved corrupted files but that has, unfortunately, not solved the issue with TS4.

nikkihii​  Please look for new errors in the Reliability Monitor.  Hit Windows key-R and enter "perfmon /rel" without quotes, and you'll see a chart of errors and updates with a column for each day.  Today is on the right.

Look for an error that happened at exactly the time of your most recent Sims 4 crash.  If you find one, double-click it to see more details, then copy that info and paste it into a reply here.  If you don't see a new error, check back in an hour or so—the Reliability Monitor doesn't always update right away.

I'd like at least the last two or three errors, or any that happened after you removed your saves and other user files, but only those that list Sims 4 or happened at exactly the time of a crash.

This is listed as a "Critical Event" at exactly the time of the most recent crash (Sime 4 files had been deleted beforehand):

Description
Faulting Application Path:    C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\AcerIncorporated.AcerRegistration_2.0.3044.0_x64__48frkmn4z8aw4\DesktopApp\AcerRegistrationBackGroundTask.exe

Problem signature
Problem Event Name:    MoAppCrash
Package Full Name:    AcerIncorporated.AcerRegistration_2.0.3044.0_x64__48frkmn4z8aw4
Application Name:    praid:Acer.AcerRegistration
Application Version:    1.0.0.0
Application Timestamp:    64375ffb
Fault Module Name:    KERNELBASE.dll
Fault Module Version:    10.0.26100.4061
Fault Module Timestamp:    c24bdd22
Exception Code:    c000041d
Exception Offset:    0015df24
OS Version:    10.0.26100.2.0.0.768.101
Locale ID:    1033
Additional Information 1:    b927
Additional Information 2:    b927d3561f5b0e35d35dfd1cce3d46b1
Additional Information 3:    2ec9
Additional Information 4:    2ec9a52d0d07762b1bc682631271745b

Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID:    90aa5719ecc701b83c448442150132d4 (2036898350833414868)

This is listed as a "Warning", but it was also at the exact same time as the most recent crash:

Description
Installation Failure: Windows failed to install the following update with error 0x80073D02: 9NTXGKQ8P7N0-MicrosoftWindows.CrossDevice.

Looking back, it looks like that exact same "Critical Event" is listed for each time I have tried to open the game and experienced the crash.  The first day that I started experiencing the issue was about a week ago, so I do not remember the exact time that it began, but there are several of this same "Critical Error" listed on that day, I assume as I kept trying to reboot the game.  There is also these two errors listed from that day:

Description
Faulting Application Path:    C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay_7.225.4081.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\GameBar.exe

Problem signature
Problem Event Name:    MoAppCrash
Package Full Name:    Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay_7.225.4081.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
Application Name:    praid:App
Application Version:    7.225.4081.0
Application Timestamp:    67f59a04
Fault Module Name:    GameBar.exe
Fault Module Version:    7.225.4081.0
Fault Module Timestamp:    67f59a04
Exception Code:    c0000005
Exception Offset:    0000000000393a13
OS Version:    10.0.26100.2.0.0.768.101
Locale ID:    1033
Additional Information 1:    80e9
Additional Information 2:    80e95402c215deca571746860ac5c6f0
Additional Information 3:    2295
Additional Information 4:    22954e15d36c9dcbd50a74fcd2c1f101

Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID:    62fc54a1c39198d6e8387bdff087e547 (1745281057349428551)

and

Description
A problem with your hardware caused Windows to stop working correctly.

Problem signature
Problem Event Name:    LiveKernelEvent
Code:    1d4
Parameter 1:    1
Parameter 2:    5
Parameter 3:    ffffca0bd695f110
Parameter 4:    ffffffffc0000001
OS version:    10_0_26100
Service Pack:    0_0
Product:    768_1
OS Version:    10.0.26100.2.0.0.768.101
Locale ID:    1033

Extra information about the problem
Bucket ID:    LKD_0x1D4_COMMAND_EXECUTION_FAILED_0x5_UcmUcsiAcpiClient_UcmUcsiCx!UcmUcsiCx::GenerateUcsiFailureDump

nikkihii​  The last error (code 1d4) is another crash of the USB-C driver.  Is your mouse plugged into a USB-C port?  It's possible that the mouse's driver needs to be updated or is not playing well with Windows in general.  To try to update, click Windows key-X, open the Device Manager, expand Mice and other pointing devices, click the name of your mouse, and click the black and green Update menu button.  Then restart your computer.

If you get another one of these errors, try playing without the mouse connected.  I realize that might not be much fun, but it's a useful test.

For the XBox Gaming Overlay errors, disable Game Mode and Game Bar, both under Windows Settings > Gaming.  These serve no purpose in most circumstances.

For the first error, there's no reason Acer registration software needs to be running at all, let alone while you play.  So please open the Task Manager's Startup section and disable this software on startup.  And before opening Sims 4, make sure nothing belonging to this program is running in the Task Manager's background processes list.  If you're not sure what you're looking at, feel free to list any suspicious entries.