Game won't launch, i'm still using Origin

@sb1972  As a test, please try playing in a clean user folder.  Move the entire Sims 4 folder out of Documents > Electronic Arts and onto your desktop, and when you launch the game, if it launches, a clean folder will spawn with no content.  (Your saves and other content will be intact in the folder you moved but temporarily not read by the game.)  Don't add anything to the new folder yet; just let me know whether you can get far enough to start a new save and play in live mode for a bit.

If that doesn't help, please run a dxdiag and attach it to a post.

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

Also, if you see an error message when trying to launch the game, please post a screenshot of it.

I haven't tried your fist suggestion yet, but this is the error I get. I have been told that the team is working on it. I had an update last night, but it didn't fix it. I will try moving sims to my desktop tonight. 

Hi! I am having the same issue and have been for over a month now. I have tried the moving folder thing below with no luck. I was told a lot of players are having the same issue and to wait for EA to fix this. Super annoying considering how much $ I have spent on the games. I have tried every fix in the books.

@MERBEARXO  Please try doing a clean uninstall and reinstall of Sims 4, and install the game into a different folder.  Use Revo Uninstaller:

• Put aside your Sims 4 folder in Documents\Electronic Arts and rename it to something that doesn't include the words "Sims 4."
• Download Revo Uninstaller (the free version is fine) from here.
• Launch Revo, select Sims 4 from the list, and click Uninstall.
• Once the game is uninstalled, select "Moderate" under "scanning modes," and click Scan.
• Review the list, in case there's something you want to save; otherwise, click Select All, and then Delete.
• Close Revo, and restart your computer.

I'd suggest uninstalling the EA App too, again with Revo.  I don't have instructions for it, but it should be fairly straightforward.

Reinstall the EA App, and before installing Sims 4, create a new folder on the root level of the drive of your choice.  For example, C:\Games is fine, but not C:\Program Files\Games.  Download Sims 4 into this new folder; you can just download the base game, to save time, if you want.

@sb1972  Let me know about the clean folder, and we'll go from there.  I don't think you're necessarily at the point of doing a clean uninstall and reinstall yet.

I was told the same thing. Wait. I had an update last night, but it didn't fix it. Got another email saying the same thing before they closed my case. Wait, our team is working on it. I don't go through EA, I'm still going through Origin. I hope they fix it soon. I think they should also give a discount for an expansion pack or something. I want to buy the new family together, or whatever it's called, but don't want to spend the money if I'm not going to be able to play the game 

@sb1972  This isn't an EA-side issue, no matter what the support reps said.  There's no point in waiting for a fix, which is not forthcoming; you'll need to troubleshoot on your side.

To that end, I take it the clean folder didn't help?  If not, you can try uninstalling Sims 4 and Origin with Revo, and specifically reinstall Sims 4 into a new folder you create for that purpose, as described in my previous post in this thread.  You can download a fresh copy of the Origin installer here:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Origin-Client-Web-Technical/Downloading-and-installing-Origin-Windows-and-Mac/m-p/11915666

I haven't been able to do the folder thing and not sure when I will be able too. I will not uninstall the Sims, as I don't want to lose my game. Plus I have no idea how I would get all the expansions and stuff packs I have bought back. I feel it IS an EA thing because my game stopped loading up after an update.

@sb1972  If the problem were on the EA side, we'd have hundreds or perhaps thousands of reports rather than a handful.  (We had hundreds just when an update made a few antivirus programs flag the game, and the majority of people don't use those particular programs.)  That doesn't mean that the update had nothing to do with your issue, only that it's not the primary cause.

Uninstalling Sims 4 doesn't remove your packs, which are owned by your EA account.  When you reinstall the game, all your owned packs will also be available to install just as they would be if you bought a new computer.

Hi, thank you but it didn't work. I did this with Origin and the EA app both just to see if it would make a difference and created a new C Games Folder so it was clean. After doing that twice, still having the same issue of the game crashing upon Sims 4 screen. I used Revo as well to do the uninstalls. Awesome program though. So now I just wait for EA?

@MERBEARXO  It sounds like you're not having the same issue after all.  The original poster is seeing a "game data missing or damaged" message, which happens before the game even launches, whereas you're seeing a crash at the launch screen.  These two problems have completely different sets of causes and therefore somewhat different approaches to troubleshooting.

On that note, please run a dxdiag and attach it to a post.

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

Please also let me know whether OneDrive is running, even if you never use it, and how full it is.