May 2020
EA helped me solve the issue. For some reason it was not showing the right code for my base game. For all whom might have issues with installation in the future, make sure its the code for your base game. For some reason, it was giving me the code for World Adventures and not the base game.
May 2020
May 2020
@Demsasha Please run the Origin reset tool for macOS:
https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/origin/origin/how-to-reset-origin-on-mac/
Restart your computer, and download just the base game, no packs. If the download works, great, go ahead and install. If it gets stuck again, then yes, you can install by launching the .dmg. But that only works if the installer is in fact fully downloaded.
Open a Finder window, and click Macintosh HD (or whatever you've renamed your hard disk) in the left panel. If you don't see it, click Finder in the upper left corner of your screen, then Preferences > Sidebar, and check the box next to Hard disks, in the Devices category. Open Macintosh HD, then Library > Application Support > Origin > DownloadCache, and you should see a folder labeled with a string of numbers. Inside should be a ~6 GB .dmg file. Drag that to your desktop and double-click to open it.
To actually install the game, you'll need your CD key. In Origin, open your game library, right-click (or hold down the crtl key and click) on the Sims 3 icon, and select Game Properties. The CD key is the same 20-character product code you'll need to provide the installer when it asks.
Once the base game is installed, please run the Super Patch (digital download version) to manually patch it to 1.67.
https://bluebellflora.com/sims-3-manual-super-patch-for-mac-1-67/
Test the game, and let me know whether you get the unknown error. If you get the server error, that's fine for now—you can fix it by installing almost any pack. But some of the packs need their own workarounds, so please list the ones you'd like to install.
By the way, you can run the Origin reset tool any time it's stuck finalizing or downloading, or doesn't load properly.
July 2020
I have the same problem did you ever get an answer back?
July 2020
@josweetie This thread is a bit old, so it would be easier if you made your own thread and described exactly what happens when you try to install Sims 3. A screenshot or two of any error messages would also be helpful.
November 2020
January 2021
Hi @puzzlezaddict maybe you can help me as well since the EA Support is unable to help me with this case.
As you suggested, I searched for the DownloadCache but its empty! How can this happen and what can I do now in oder to install the game correctly.
Your help is very much appreciated!
January 2021
@11eugene11 What issue are you seeing? If you're trying to install Sims 3 on a Mac running Catalina or Big Sur, please make sure you're downloading the 64-bit version, since the 32-bit version won't run.
If you don't have that in your account, you'll need to contact EA customer support and ask that the "entitlement," as it's called, for the 64-bit version be added.
https://help.ea.com/en/contact-us/
If you have a different issue, please describe it, and post a screenshot of any error you see.
January 2021
My game keeps crashing so I'm not playing Sims 3 anymore
June 2021
Hello,
Sims 3 64 bit will run on Mac Book 2017, i5, Intel HD 6000, Big Sur?