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Competitive/racing stuff, then yes XC has become far more technical.
I was thinking more of the recreational mtb marketing minefield that is XC, trail, AM, enduro, freeride, DH etc..
BareNecessities-
If you just ignore all the marketing bollocks and look at XC as riding up, along and down hills, up to the skill/tech level one is capable of...
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Competitive/racing stuff, then yes XC has become far more technical.
Interestingly, there's a couple of threads on Reddit that suggest XC has always had this level of Gnar, in the US at least in one form or another, except that previously there was variety, and now there is this kinda technical conformity - we need a rock garden we need a drop we need a... and funnily enough the techy courses get televised making it look like all XC races are techy...
The same is probably true for CX too - the interesting courses get televised so it presents this image that's kinda different to the reality of most races.
TM
Howard
I remember the first XC races I watched were basically what CX is now - people hopping off their bikes and pushing / carrying up and down tech bits - now XC racers are riding stuff you used to find on World Cup DH courses. And DHrs are just a bit mental.