First, a long background (sorry):

Bought the game, tested a little, then asked for a refund and deleted it from my computer. Thank you GOG for your understanding and trust.

I probably didn't read the store description very well, but felt very let down when discovered starting the game that it has a launcher connected to the internet. Even if I use the command to skip the launcher, Windows tells me that it still sends my info into the internet.

Why? I don't want any updated news from Red's other games (that I don't even have). I want to have the game as my personal 'storybook' on my shelf like I always wanted my single-player games. That's the reason I buy single-players on GOG: Personal property and intimate sense of owner ship. Even the new 'Tomb Raider Survival trilogy' go internet when I launch each of them. Why?

Special items and rewards for these games should be already be in them. Not having to connect to an account just to be eligible for them. Once again, Why?

I don't want to be online to play the game, to be watcher. Even if it is just for checking for piracy or something. I hate to have my computer checked every time I start the game, and specially the existence of a game-launcher where is not needed. It seems very invasive. I want to play vanilla or with my own mods (if any) at my own leisure and privacy.

It shows Cyberpunk follows the same route, which is a thing that makes me not wanting to buy the game, and that Witcher 4 it will also be the same. Felt very let down.

The biggest problem is that I really want to play this type of game and I'm feeling very tempted to rebuy it unti the sales end. Even for its very low-cost sales' price (and a very good one at that, I admit), it's hard for me to spend on it (giving my current finances). But the temptation is still nagging me there very much, at least until the sales ends.

– The questions are:
– Why the game stills connect to the Internet, even if I skip the launcher?
– Is there any way to know for sure for the game to be totally DRM free? In an officially and legal capacity, that is.

Sorry for the rant, and thank you for the attention. Just need to vent, I guess. (and sorry for any bad english)

Download the offline installers and use those.
Start the game by using ...\bin\x64\witcher3.exe"

Thank you for your reply, HertogJan.

As usual I forgot to mention that I was talking about offline instalation. That's how I always download my GOG games. I didn't know about the ...\bin\x64\... executer. I can't remember if the instalation shortcut was already pointing there or another executer in the folders.

But that's a great tip. Thank you. I'm very tempted to re-buy the game and try it that way.

Unfortunately, I just discovered that my bank decided to take it's annual account commission today, and left with no money to spare. So, the situation is all academic now.

Guess there's always Christmas sales. ^_^ Although if it's gonna be a toss between that and 'Uncharted', 'Uncharted' will most likely win.

But thanks again. I'm saving that tip for when the time comes. ^_^

Yes, thank you for that suggestion! Thank you, Smee -Heee!
(LOL) fellow Red Dwarf fan

i can launch the game through GOG (or directly) and no internet is required. it might call to the internet, but so does Quake 2.

not sure if I can copy/paste the folder to a different machine & not need an install, but there's several games I've installed on the kids computer via my account & it would work without galaxy.

I know for this game specifically when I reinstalled windows I didn't need to reinstall the game, just pointed my new galaxy install to my games folder & it was added & ran.