In its first iteration, GOG Galaxy was a client for GOG’s own store, turning it into a game platform. In its second version, though, it pulled off what many tried but under-delivered: bringing together all other game platforms under one roof. Or, at least, the most prominent ones, like Steam, Origin, uPlay, and Epic Games. Let’s look at how you can turn it into a global launcher for all your games no matter where they “live.”
Download and install GOG Galaxy 2.0
Visit GOG and download the GOG Galaxy installer.
Run the installer and continue with the program’s installation as usual – it’s a straightforward next-next-done procedure.
Set firewall rules if required
The GOG Galaxy client needs Internet access to sync your library, pull data like game information and images, etc.
Thus, it would be best if you set up rules in your firewall that grant GOG Galaxy online access.
Log in with your GOG account
GOG Galaxy is, first and foremost, a client for the GOG storefront, so you must log in with a GOG account you have there.
If you don’t have a GOG account, the client provides a link to create one. You can also use a Facebook account to log in, but we didn’t try that. Note that you don’t have to purchase anything to set up an account.
Welcome to your new game hub!
When GOG Galaxy 2.0’s interface appears, don’t fret if it looks complicated.
Start by clicking “Add games & friends” on top.
Select “Connect platforms” from the menu that pops up.
Connect other platforms
Check out the available integrations in the window that shows up. Click “Connect,” next to the platforms you wish to access from GOG Galaxy 2.0.
The client will brief you about each platform’s supported features. Click “Connect” to proceed.
Each storefront has its own login procedure, and GOG Galaxy 2.0 doesn’t modify it. In the screenshot, you can see the typical Epic Games login as it would show when using its client.
You can remove integrated platforms with the same button, now titled “Disconnect,” in the same window.
Remember to attach all platforms where you have games to GOG Galaxy 2.0 by repeating the above for each of them.
Quit or hide?
If you play games from many stores each day, leaving all their clients running takes up precious resources for no reason.
Visit “Features” under the “Platforms” group of options and enable “Quit when closing …” for each connected platform. This way, its client will end when quitting a game instead of hiding in the tray.
GOG Galaxy’s own settings
The “don’t waste resources” mindset extends to the GOG client itself. Move to the “General” tab of the “GOG Galaxy Client” group of options and disable “Auto start: Launch GOG Galaxy at system startup” to have the client launch only when you call for it.
Set up notifications
The next tab contains all settings for notifications. It’s here that you can set up how you want to be notified about different events of interest.
GOG Galaxy 2.0 can show you notifications on the desktop, a game overlay, or both. It does so when a friend logs in, when you receive a message, and so on. Set those up as you wish.
Folders, shortcuts, and downloading
We suggest you pay a visit to “Installing, updating” under “GOG.COM Games” and check the settings there to your liking.
- Enable “Create shortcut on desktop” if you want to have easy access to your games from your desktop.
- Change the “Game installation folder” to where you keep most of your games.
- Make sure “Pause downloads when playing” is disabled to prevent stuttering while playing due to background downloading.
Game features
The “Game features” tab offers a mix of options regarding your GOG game collection and how all games from all platforms will work in it.
“Auto-update games” and “Cloud saves” seem to only work for GOG games. Syncing “Achievements,” recording and displaying “Game time tracking,” and the client’s Overlay seem to work for most, if not all, integrated platforms.
The main interface
After it imports your libraries, GOG Galaxy 2.0 becomes straightforward to use.
On the left, you have pre-defined game filters. We’ll return here later – the list is more versatile than it seems.
The three filters you’ll probably use more are “Recent,” useful to return to what you played last, “All games” for accessing all titles in all your libraries, and “Installed” for the games ready to play.
Installing and uninstalling games
To install a game, no matter its platform, click on its cover in your Games list.
From its dedicated page, click on “Install” at the very top.
If the game you’re installing isn’t a GOG one, GOG Galaxy 2.0 will use its platform’s installer. For example, if you have a game on Steam, when installing it through GOG Galaxy 2.0, it will run Steam and feed it the installation request. Then, Steam will take over until the installation is complete.
You can remove any installed game from the same spot – click the options button next to “Play” and select “Manage installation > Uninstall.”
Game management
We touched on how the Games list is more versatile than it shows. It all starts by selecting “Edit” from the options button when on a single game’s page.
GOG Galaxy 2.0 allows you to tweak existing metadata for each game and add ratings and tags.
You can also change the accompanying images for each game, but that affects only aesthetics.
You can use ratings and tags, and the rest of the metadata, as filters for your game list.
Click the “Filter” button at the top when viewing the “All games” list and choose any filter you like. When viewing a filtered list, utilize the bookmark button on the top left to pin it among the existing lists on the left pane. Right-click on it to change its placement in the list.
And that’s all there is to it. Simple to use and more powerful than it shows, GOG Galaxy 2.0 can turn into the hub for all your gaming. Will you let it?
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