Shay Cormac is the playable Assassin who changes sides in Assassin's Creed Rogue.
Shay Patrick Cormac begins Rogue as an Assassin working with the Colonial Brotherhood during the eighteenth century. After a disastrous mission connected to an ancient artifact, he becomes disillusioned with the Assassins and eventually joins the Templars. The game then presents the conflict largely from the Templar perspective.
Rogue is set across the North Atlantic, the Appalachian frontier, and New York City during the Seven Years' War. Its naval gameplay builds on systems from Black Flag, while its story explores how the Assassins’ pursuit of Pieces of Eden can have catastrophic consequences.
Shay is not the same character as Liam O'Brien, an Assassin from his former circle, or Arno Dorian, the protagonist of Assassin's Creed Unity. His change of allegiance is the central narrative distinction that gives Rogue its title and unusual viewpoint.