GAME · THE SIMS 3 · DXVK 3.1.1 · UNTESTED BY US
The Sims 3 with DXVK: the sourced setup
How we checked this
- EXE
- TS3W.exe (or TS3.exe) · Game\Bin (reported)
- Bitness
- 32-bit → x32
- API
- D3D9
x32/d3d9.dll- DXVK
- 3.1.1 (untested)
- Built-in profile
- d3d9.customVendorId = 10de, d3d9.customDeviceId = 1080, d3d9.customDeviceDesc = Geforce GTX 580
Before you start
Find the real game program: open the folder that holds TS3W.exe. Many installs also have Sims3Launcher.exe, which only starts the game. The Game Checker tells them apart.
Install DXVK for The Sims 3
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Download DXVK from GitHub
Use the official release page only, and check the hash with the verifier on the download page.Check: You have dxvk-3.1.1.tar.gz.
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Open the x32 folder
The Sims 3 is reported to be a 32-bit game, so you need thex32folder. x64 files do nothing for a 32-bit game, and there is no error (F05).Check: You see d3d9.dll.
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Copy d3d9.dll next to the game's .exe
A Direct3D 9 game needs onlyd3d9.dll(F38). Do not copy it next to the launcher. The launcher,Sims3Launcher.exe, is not the game; the reported folder isGame\Bin.Check: d3d9.dll sits beside TS3W.exe (or TS3.exe).
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Start the game and check
DXVK writes<exe>_d3d9.lognext to the game on Windows (F13). Turning on the HUD is the other check; see the HUD guide.Check: A log file appears next to the .exe.
To undo it, delete the DLL: see the uninstall guide. The general steps, with the checklist and warnings, are on the Windows install page.
What DXVK already does for this game
The profile matches TS3.exe and TS3W.exe. It sets the vendor to NVIDIA, the device ID to 1080 and the device name to a GeForce GTX 580, so the game sees a GPU it knows. That is what DXVK does by itself; we have not tested what it changes in the game.
| Option | Value |
|---|---|
| d3d9.customVendorId | 10de |
| d3d9.customDeviceId | 1080 |
| d3d9.customDeviceDesc | Geforce GTX 580 |
No rows match.
DXVK applies these automatically when it recognises the exe name, so you do not need to copy them into a dxvk.conf. The release notes of DXVK 3.0 name this game among their fixes.
Memory and the graphics card name
DXVK reports a fixed GPU to this game (see above) and has memory options such as d3d9.maxAvailableMemory, which made a Direct3D 9 test program see 2,038 MB instead of 3,062 MB (F25). We did not try either in The Sims 3.
What we have not tested
- Any run of the game: FPS, stutter and crashes are unmeasured, so we make no speed claim.
- Whether DXVK is better or worse than the game’s normal Direct3D on your GPU.
- Mods and fixes: video-memory settings, the EA app, ReShade and custom content. DXVK also has d3d9.maxAvailableMemory, which we measured on a test program (F25), not in this game
- Whether the game’s online features still exist.
Check your own copy
The Game Checker reads your .exe on your device and tells you its bitness and Direct3D version. Our checker also flags files in the game folder that use the same name as DXVK’s DLLs.
Questions people ask
Is The Sims 3 a 32-bit game?
It is reported to be, and the Game Checker confirms it from the exe. DXVK works with 32-bit games using the x32 folder.
Where does d3d9.dll go for The Sims 3?
Next to TS3W.exe (or TS3.exe), reported to be in the Game\Bin folder. Not next to Sims3Launcher.exe.
Does DXVK fix the video memory detection?
DXVK already reports a specific GPU to this game (GeForce GTX 580). Whether that fixes low-graphics settings is untested by us. d3d9.maxAvailableMemory also exists (F25).
Does it work with the EA app and ReShade?
We have not tested either. ReShade uses file names that can collide with DXVK's; check the folder with the Game Checker.
Is there an online mode in The Sims 3?
Not that we know. We have not verified it.
Sources
- DXVK source: built-in profiles (config.cpp at v3.1.1) · accessed 2026-11-07
- DXVK releases · accessed 2026-11-07
- DXVK README at v3.1.1 · accessed 2026-11-07