Plokite_Wolf: Modify the shortcut yourself or run the game directly from the directory, problem solved.
I already do that, by creating a shortcut from the .exe file in the game's root folder, but it shouldn't be necessary. The default desktop shortcut should launch the game, NOT open my Program Files folder. If you're going to be patronizing you could at least try to understand the issue I'm reporting. I don't use Galaxy, so no idea where you got that from at all, but it doesn't apply here.
Ice_Mage: Does your Windows account folder contain non-ASCII characters by any chance? How about the folder where you installed The Witcher 3?
I'm currently on a different computer and unable to check, but I KNOW the answer is no when it comes to the Witcher 3 folder. The Winows account folder I'm not certain about, but if that were the case, wouldn't I have similar issues with other games as well? Witcher 3 is the only game that opens Program Files instead of launching when clicking the default desktop icon, all my other GOG purchases work correctly.