Sims 3 won't open at all

[GraphitePickle]

Hi all!

As of yesterday, I have been completely unable to open the Sims 3. If I try to open the launcher shortcut or press Play in the Origin client, the Origin client will open, minimize, and then open again without the launcher appearing and without any error code. I have also tried to bypass the launcher by opening TS3.exe directly, and I have tried to run TS3.exe, Origin, and the launcher as an administrator. I have also cleared my cache (and the things I deleted have not reappeared because the sims will not open for even a second), tried repairing the game, removed all CC and mods, and used CCleaner. I have tried everything short of uninstalling and reinstalling the game and all of its expansions, which I would like to avoid doing unless absolutely necessary.

I own the base game and all expansion packs except for Island Living. Yesterday, I was able to open the launcher with no issue; however, I then decided to contact EA support to resolve a problem, which was that while Sims 3 Showtime was installed, it did not show up under owned expansion packs on Origin. It turned out I had registered it with another account, so the customer service representative deleted that old account and transferred Showtime to mine; after that, the game stopped working.

Anyone have any ideas to fix this apart from the ones I've tried? Any help would be appreciated! Thank you!

[GraphitePickle · Accepted solution]

Scratch that! An adviser by the name of Saurabh finally fixed it for me!

For anyone else who has this problem where the Sims 3 will not launch after an account merger involving Sims 3 expansions, the solution for me was for the adviser to remove the Sims 3 and all owned expansions from my Origin account and add new digital copies.

Does anyone happen to know how to leave feedback for advisers? They were very patient and helpful and I would like to show my appreciation

[puzzlezaddict]

@GraphitePickle  I could list a whole bunch of different steps to try here, but it sounds very much like EA customer support messed up your account somehow.  If so, you'd be the third person in the last few weeks with exactly the same symptoms after a chat with support.  One of the people eventually stopped replying, but the other was able to get things sorted out after another chat with support.

https://help.ea.com/en/contact-us/

Specifically, this is probably an issue with the base game code not being recognized as valid, but you'll want to ask the support rep to check the status of each code on your current account to make sure they're all active.

[GraphitePickle]

Hi! Thank you for the advice. Is there anything specific I should tell them? I spoke with customer service before I posted this thread, and they just gave me advice like clearing the cache and didn't do much when I told them I already tried those things.

[puzzlezaddict]

@GraphitePickle  In your position, I would say that it looks like your code has been removed, deactivated, or blocked from your account somehow, and you would like it restored.  If you want, you can link them this thread, with the same symptoms and confirmation that there had been a mistake in merging the accounts.

https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/Sims-3-does-not-launch-just-minimizes-Origin-for-a-sec...

[GraphitePickle]

I have been trying to get customer service to listen to me for weeks now. None of them look at the thread you posted or consider what you said to be the problem. Every single one gives me the same basic troubleshooting steps and completely ignores everything I have to say.

Do you have any idea how to reach someone who will actually consider that the CD keys (whatever that may mean) is the problem?

[puzzlezaddict]

@GraphitePickle  I will try to find out what you should say, or what category of question would help here.  But it might take a few days—the EA people are working a reduced schedule this week.  Still, at the very least, support should be able to give you a solid answer instead of the usual basic troubleshooting, and there must be a way to get to that point.

[EA_Lanna]

Hi @GraphitePickle,

I'm sorry your experience with the support team hasn't been the best to date. Puzzles is correct that if there's a potential issue with the code, support should be able to take a look into that to share some context and help further. Please feel free to link my post to the next agent to examine the codes.

I will add here, should the agent confirm the codes are ok, troubleshooting would be the next step here to helping fix the issue. In the event troubleshooting isn't helping resolve it, it will help us eliminate some potential causes as we look into this.

From my end, I do have an ask. As you've mentioned having games merged over into another account, that means there have been two Origin accounts meaning two different emails. Could you double check the Origin account that's currently logged into the Origin Client and see if it shows the same email as the one you've been using to get in contact with the support team please?

Thank you,

EA_Lanna

[GraphitePickle]

Hi!

I've already tried every troubleshooting step many, many times. A customer support agent said they were elevating my case to a special team, but I discovered today that they actually just closed the case.

The account logged into the origin client is the same account that I am using to speak to customer support.

[GraphitePickle]

I should clarify also that none of the people I have spoken to have actually looked into the codes or anything I suggested, only the same basic troubleshooting. One explicitly told me that I had no idea what I was talking about and this forum was not a reliable resource, before going into the same troubleshooting steps. When I told him I had tried these things, he told me he would elevate it, and that's when the problem was closed.

[puzzlezaddict]

@GraphitePickle  I will ask again if there's something else you can do.  Hopefully with people back to normal work hours, someone will be able to help.

I'm sorry this has dragged on for so long.