i always grab the offline version cause i hate having to use an app to play the games when theyre right there on my pc but even using the offline versions makes galaxy pop up and launch through it

Delete the game shortcuts you have now. Launch File Explorer and find the game installation folder. In there, find the game executable, then right-click and drag it to the desktop or wherever to create a new shortcut.

Can`t argue with that and awesome solution ^

Galaxy works offline too, DRM-free client? maybe.
The ideal path for Galaxy is managing installations, keeping saves online, achievements, having in-game chat, and online multiplayer plus it has an internal browser for our forum. Games installed through the client (as described above) are linked to the client.
Games installed from offline installers are not linking to the client.

edit: testing again... something has changed?
1. Downloaded 230MB offline backup installer of Dink Smallwood through the galaxy,
purposely to see if that`s any different than from website offline installers
2. Game is installed for the first time on this computer.
3. Turning off galaxy and installing it from the file.
4. Standard offline installation in the window with games ads.
5. New Shortcut appeared on the desktop
6. Running the shortcut and waiting for the final answer...
7. ...yes, I mean no, it does not trigger the Galaxy lunch.

Me is not sure of your circumstances, can you share a game title that does doing galaxy lunch from an offline installer, please?

edit 2: testing the other way
1. downloading offline installer of Airhead Demo (Galaxy installer does not work in this one)
2. installing as above
3. and Galaxy see both Airhead and Dink Smallwood too
4. pressing play on Airhead Demo and...
5. ...it works on Galaxy lol
6... pressing play on Dink Smallwood
7... it works all right from offline installer installation on Galaxy and found the game automatically
8. running two games at the same time counting time for both

Thanks for the inspiration!

Never had Galaxy pop up on my computer(s).
Might have something to do with the fact, that I never installed Galaxy in the first place.
Maybe some food for thought?

Edit: typo

For most games, you can delete the relevant .dll files to cure this. Some games, however are dependent on them. If Galaxy isn't there, though it won't launch.

You probably installed one of your games through the Galaxy-fied installer. Now the client is running on the background of your computer and rears its head whenever you install one of your games. It happened to me a few years ago. At least it wouldn't start when I played the games, but it would jump up on every game install.

Just uninstall Galaxy, or at least disable it from starting during reboots, and you're good to go.

I don't even use WIndows, imagine how I'd feel if this were so.
But point is, no. You don't need Galaxy. You can safely uninstall it and forget it existed.

I think that happened to me once a long time ago too. It was probably when they first introduced offline backup installers (maybe?).

Did GOG have individual files for galaxy back then instead of one big blue install button that's there now? (like an expand/collapse feature lsimilar to offline) I can't seem to recall now.
.

The answer to the question is:

Yes, you can. You can still play games without using Galaxy.

https://www.gog.com/forum/general/offline_installers_with_an_option_to_install_gog_galaxy/ happened, and they riled up enough people to decide they'd better continue supplying Galaxy-free installers, but you have to ignore the big blue button in order to get them.

99,9% of the GOG games I have access to can be played without Galaxy, and the remaining 0,1% are only tied to Galaxy due to bugs (that I hope will be fixed soon).

I know of only one game in GOG catalogue that is fully tied to Galaxy (you can not install it nor play it without Galaxy).

On the other hand far too many games can have some features tied to Galaxy, meaning that you do not get access to all content/features when running them without it.

thanks for the info guys, was really irritating me that i was getting the offline installers but galaxy was still popping up

now if only i could get my wiz8 game to run lol

I found the best solution to this is to uninstall Galaxy. Problem solved. ;P

I have never had GOG Galaxy pop up for me when I install the video through the offline installers.

< Galaxy works offline too >
Moreover, games there is still DRM-free in 95% cases. For almost all games Galaxy work like 3rd party launcher\links-manager\catalogue-manager. Like adding links to there.
You can start them directly from exe and GOG Galaxy wont interfer with process, ot close Galaxy and it almost never appear again even for games you installed through it.

It can launch Steam, cause of some leftovers and only if Steam already launched. Same for GOG Galaxy. GOG do main builds Galaxy ones, and that make offline many leftovers files from galaxy build. But if you didnt use Galaxy (even if it been installed sometimes ago on your PC) - it never appear.

Make sure you dowanload and install game from really offline build installer. Tjere is few types of galaxy-build-installers. Some time ago, there is looks like normal offline setup but with _(g) in their names.

Some games can have launcher and maybe ability to start GOG Galaxy. Cyberpunk2077.

So only very few games and only in specific cases can start GOG Galaxy. Sometimes even if they from offline build but Galaxy already launched.