mqstout: I got this response from misguided GOG support ("Ponczo") regarding this thread. GOG's apparently content with any cosmetic DRM. The fuckers.
All games available on GOG have offline installers available. We stay in touch with the partners and do our best to keep them up to date. However, video games continue to evolve with many titles offering online modes, cosmetics, and incentives for completing certain actions by players. This might be subjective, but as long as these additional features and rewards do not affect the single-player offline experience in a major way, we believe that the developers and publishers should be free to design and sell their games in a way they choose.
mqstout: "developers and publishers should be free to design and sell their games in a way they choose." is a very, very long way from 'fighting the good fight against DRM', which GOG pretended to do in the past. But at least Ponczo gave you an accidentally honest insight into the current guidelines of GOG. The reply fits GOG's recent behavior and inaction concerning DRM. A long time ago they used to enforce the removal of DRM from all games. Now the principle is to let devs and publishers do whatever they like, as long as the DRM doesn't affect the base game in 'a major way(TM)'. Whatever that may mean.
DJM.553: I also hope this is a mistake.
I still have a doubt.
I'll let you know if I get an answer.
Since several players confirmed that the solo mode now depends on Galaxy and there is no reply from the dev, I've put Northgard on the list. As far as I see it, this is the worst case of DRM yet. Even worse than Nex Machina, where some levels are locked behind a Galaxy requirement. Now, in Northgard, it's the entire solo mode.