Okay, so I am completely mystified by whatever is going on here.

Monday (Sept 3) I decided to get the new patch (iI'd waited until my preferred core mods had been fully updated). I downloaded it via the Launcher, updated my core mods (NRAAS ones, if that makes any difference) and loaded my game.
It got to the first loading screen, and crashed after about 5 seconds. My immediate thought was "Oh, I forgot to take out all my CC etc. Whoops, my bad." So I go and remove all my CC, and restart the game. Same crash. I decide that tomorrow I will puzzle it out, and I go to bed.
Tuesday morning (Sept 4) I boot up the computer and, just for fun, I load up the game. Same crash, unsurprisingly. I google it a bit and try a few fixes (namely, deleting all cache files and renaming my Sims 3 folder) When neither of these work I decide that either I really broke something with my earlier CC mistake or I just need to re-install (The Dance of a Thousand Discs, I call it). Since Supernatural is now available I go buy it, and start the process.
Once everything is installed I go to start up the game and I get the same crash. "Okay," I figure, "the 1.38 patch and Supernatural just aren't working for me. But I can still play Pets with no patch." So I un-install/re-install, but this time I figure I'll stop between each expansion and load the game, to make sure it still works.
I install Base game, everything goes fine. I load it up and BAM. First loading screen crash.

TL;DR- MY freshly installed base game copy crashes on the first loading screen. I have no CC or mods, it crashes with AND without 1.38. Everything was working just fine prior to Sept 3rd (patched to 1.38 on Sept 4). No error messages.

My computer:

Windows 7 64 bit
4 GB RAM
AMD Radeon 6790
AMD FX-4100 CPU 3.60GHz/4MB L2 Cache

EDIT: I thought I should mention, when I uninstalled I also checked to make sure my registry and the more common areas were cleared of any Sims 3 stuff hanging around.


SOLVED EDIT: I tried installing digital versions with Origin (registered my games on sims3.com, then downloaded through Origin), and for some reason it worked. I have no explanation.

i got the same problem. i removed every mod or download or any other CC. it crashes as soon as the intro is over and the usual message comes "Sims3.exe stopped working"

I had that happening at first when I thought my NRaas mods were all updated. Turns out they were not. I downloaded them all again and the loading crash stopped. When you said you removed all your CC did you mean your mods as well? Do you use Awesomemod? Do you get a core mismatch error upon launch, or anything like that?

We were tring to install the game for a friends niece, on a brand new computer, and we have the same issue. Game crashes after the first loading screen. There is no CC whatsoever so that's not the problem.

Polly, please work through the Crashing Checklist. Link is in my signature.
If it is still crashing by the time you reach the end of the FAQ, post back with the answers to the questionnaire.
If you need help locating GPU drivers, also let me know...

And same goes for others.
But do not post your answers in this thread, start your own thread so we can keep issues separate. What may be the cause for Polly may not be for you unless you all have the same hardware, EP/SP combo, identical sets of CC and save games.
Most likely it is DEP or the online feature, though, if you all play while logged in and have not tweaked DEP ever before.

1. Deleted all cache files and thumbnails?
 Yes.
2. Removed ALL custom content?
 Yes.
3. Did you also remove custom content from DCCache folder?
 Yes.
4. Loaded a NEW game with new user files and no CC with any of the default EA worlds?
 Yes.
5. If you're on a PC (Windows XP, Vista, or 7), have you done DEP tweaks? Is the game OK in CAS/Buy/Build mode but crash only when you switched to Live mode, with or without the "Sims3Launcher has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience." error ?
 Windows 7, yes I have done DEP tweaks.
 The game won’t enter CAS/Build/Buy mode, it crashes during the first loading screen.
6. If you're on a Mac (Snow Leopard or Lion OSX), do these steps:
 Did the windows version of this with CCleaner
7. Those on Windows PC can also do the above steps (step#6) - with CCleaner.
8. How do you start the game: using Launcher or bypassed it?
 Both ways launcher and bypass cause the same crash
9. Still crashing with new user files, tweaked DEP settings and bypassing Launcher ?
 Let's tweak the Options.ini file. Go to The Sims 3 folder under \Documents\Electronic Arts\. Double-click on this file to open it.
 If you're on a PC, this would result in the file being opened in Notepad (or your default Text Editor if you have changed it)
 Changed these values, same crash.
 Look for these lines, and change the value, so you get the settings as shown and then Save the file. If you messed up, just delete the Options.ini file, start Launcher to regenerate this file again, with the default settings and start over.
 Switch to Windowed Mode. This won't work on Macs, you can do Cmd+Enter to toggle between Fullscreen <--> Windowed modes. PC users can do this too, with Alt+Enter.
fullscreen = 0
 Disable Tutorial Mode.
enableintrotutorial = 0
enabletutorial = 0
 Turn off the in-game Shop Mode (in patch 1.8 (World Adventures release) onwards).
enableingamestore = 0
 Turn off Memories Notifications (in patch 1.22 (Generations release) onwards).
enablememories = 0
 Disable prompt to login to Social features (in patch 1.31 (Showtime release) onwards).
requireloginbeforeload = 1
 Disable Online Notifications (in patch 1.31 (Showtime release) onwards).
receiveconnecttns = 0

10. Apart from disabling all the online features, make sure to also not log in. In Origin, Launcher and in game!
11. Cannot see or do not have TS3W.exe?
 I have, can see, and can use the TS3W.exe, but using it causes the same crash.

B. Patching or Installing new addon related
Stripping back everything to the defaults settings didn't help, need to trace back to when the crashing started. Did you just patch or install an addon?
1. Check the Gameversions to ensure the patching was successful. See Find Gameversion FAQ on how to find your game version and then compare with Patch Table for the current version.
2. How did you patched the games?
 Via Launcher or .exe files?
 Via the launcher.
3. Have you attempted a FULL and clean uninstall?
 Yes, used CCleaner to cleanly uninstall and then manually checked the registry to make sure. All Sims 3 related files are GONE.
4. If Origin is still installed, has it been updated? Have you tried loading the game without Origin installed? Tried both ways same crash occurred.
5. If you have recreated The Sims 3 folder numerous times with no success and you have reached this point, one last thing to try before going into the Hardware and System portion, is the Unlocker utility as shown in this thread. – This doesn’t appear to be my particular issue.
6. Have you rebooted the system after patching, uninstalling and reinstalling? If not, go ahead and reboot.
 Yes.

C. System related
If nothing has helped, has anything changed system-wise? If the crash is preceded by a black screen or sound looping, this are indications of the system needing Driver Updates.
1. Updated OS service packs, Directx, drivers for GPU, sound, etc? Yes, have also retrieved previous (before this crash started occurring) drivers, same crash occurs.
2. Shut off any/all unnecessary background tasks? Yes.
3. How about Firewall, Spyware & AntiVirus programs?
 Have you temporarily turn off real-time scanning? Yes.
 Have any of the above been updated recently (auto-updates or otherwise)? Yes, auto updates.
4. If you have a physical retail DVD version of the game, do you hear it spinning up at all? Yes If not,
 Do you have any disc emulation software installed like Roxio, Daemon, Alcohol, etc? No
 What is the DVD drive model? Is there a new firmware for it?
5. Have you rebooted the system after updating, or making other system changes? If not, go ahead and reboot. Yes
If you don't know how to check for these things, be sure to include your system specs when you post in the Help forum.

D. Information to include
1. Status of the Game Problem FAQ when you did the steps. Tell us what happens at each step.
2. What game(s) do you have and what patch version is the Base Game at? See the FAQs linked above to find out your game versions and to check if you have the latest patch. At this point, I only have base game installed and it is patched to 1.38.
3. Let us know if you have
 attempted a FULL and clean uninstall?
 done DEP and confirm bypassing Launcher to start the game,
 repaired Permissions on a Mac, or used CCleaner on a PC,
 rebooted the system.
 Yes, all of the above.
4. Have you tweaked the Options.ini file as suggested?
5. At what point did the crash occur?
 At the initial loading screen
6. What changed from before all this crashing happened, ie what patch (and what games combo) when last you had a crash-free game? Did you patch, add more CC, add a core mod, install an addon, updated the Operating System, updated drivers, updated your Security applications, etc? As of Sept 3rd, the last day I know the game worked correctly I had base game, WA, Ambitions, High End Loft Stuff, and Pets installed. On Sept 5th I installed patch 1.38 and Supernatural. It has not worked since.
7. If just patched, what patch version did you have before you experienced frequent crashing with this new patch version? I’m not sure, I hadn’t played since March so perhaps 1.33.
8. If you need help in checking hardware or looking for updates, please post your System Specs.
 If you're on a PC: instructions in System Specs
 If you're on a Mac: click on About This Mac (top left corner of your screen) > More Info, and then copy + paste what it says there in Hardware Overview and Graphics. What version of OS X? Please state using the full numbers, ie 10.5.x or 10.6.x or 10.7.x? (complete with the last digit, of course)

Today I tried using a different video card. The same, initial loading screen crash occurred.

Radeon 6790 is the new card or old one? What's the driver version for this card?
And what's the new card? And the driver version?
DirectX also updated?

Which is why I still need to see System Specs...
What version of Internet Explorer is installed on this system?

Even Launcher is crashing at initial loading screen? Was there an error message? Is there anything reported in Sims3LauncherLogFile.log file?
At the reinstall after the uninstall, if Launcher is crashing, how did you patched via Launcher? Especially if Origin is not installed (as stated only have base game installed at this point in time)? If Origin was also reinstalled, is it the latest Origin or you installed EADM when installing the base game? Or, you used the 1.38 Superpatcher then?

You're not using cracks or have at any time used the so-called "Ultimate Fix"? I just need to rule that out.

Solved it. For whatever reason, installing through Origin digital downloads worked. No idea why it did, but there ya go.

That may point to DVD hardware or firmware. If you have other games not able to run or movies not playing properly from discs, that'd be the thing to check next.

Since it's solved, locking.