Retals Replaces AxB On Spacestation Gaming

Shortly before the RLCS Season X roster lock, American organisation Spacestation Gaming has announced the addition of Slater “retals” Thomas to its Rocket League roster, replacing long-time member Alexandre “AxB” Bellemare. The move comes shortly before the team’s appearance in the ESPN Esports Invitational this weekend and is just the second change for this lineup since forming back in 2018.

Since replacing Satthew with Arsenal just over one year ago, Spacestation’s stock has only risen. They reached the Season 8 World Championship with a top-two league play finish, where they reached the semifinals before falling to eventual winners NRG. However, they fell to G2 in the Season 9 Regional Championship and suffered an agonising game-five overtime defeat at the hands of Rogue to go out in 4th in the Spring Series. Taking home the Fusion title certainly improved the mood at the SSG camp, with a grand final appearance in Codename: COVERT and a top-four finish in The Brawl 10K (both ending with losses to NRG) cementing their spot at the top of North America.

Despite their strong performances early in the offseason, a poor showing in the BTS Summer Shuffle, where another loss to Rogue knocked them out in 5-6th, was enough for the team to go in a new direction. With Retals on the roster, Spacestation won July 13th’s ASTRONAUTS Star Circuit qualifier, getting revenge on Rogue with a 4-1 win in the grand final.

Retals joins SSG’s roster off of the back of a hectic few weeks of roster shuffling. The DraeamHack Montreal champion has played for four different teams over the two and a half months, with each tryout up until SSG ending unsuccessfully. Retals played Fusion with Team Envy, Codename: COVERT with Rat Enterprises, the first ASTRONAUTS Star Circuit qualifier with Gyro and Allushin on The Peeps and finally July 13th’s Star Circuit qualifier with his new Spacestation Gaming teammates. This move also sees Retals and Arsenal playing together for the first time since last June when Arsenal left the then-Peeps roster before subsequently joining SSG.

The new-look Spacestation Gaming lineup’s next event is the ESPN Esports Rocket League Invitational. SSG’s run in the event kicks off with a series against newly-promoted side Alpine Esports, with matches against Envy and G2 rounding out their group stage. That event starts on Saturday and you’ll find coverage of it, as well as the upcoming RLCS Season X, on GGRecon.

Image via Javier Muñante