A true, untouched XCI dump of Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Version 1.0.0) is considered "exclusive" because you cannot legally download it anymore. If you buy a new cartridge today, it likely has v1.1.0 or higher pre-loaded. The v1.0.0 XCI is sought after for the "Duping Glitch" (duplicating items using the 2-player mode) and the "Infinite Money Glitch" that were patched out within the first week. For glitch hunters, the original XCI holds exclusive exploits.
Whether you are looking to secure a digital backup of your owned cartridge or load the game onto a PC emulator like Ryujinx or Eden, knowing the distinct traits of these formats is essential. What are NSP and XCI Files? animal crossing new horizons nsp xci exclusive
Nintendo has aggressively pursued legal action against sites hosting Switch ROMs (e.g., ROMUniverse, Lockpick). Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), circumventing Nintendo’s encryption (required to create functional NSP/XCI files) is a felony. Furthermore, the production of "exclusive" scene releases violates Title 17 of the U.S. Code. A true, untouched XCI dump of Animal Crossing: