Graal, for any player, will never be "the same as it used to be" compared to when that player started. It's really a case-by-case issue. New players who stick around because they find it interesting will probably be starting threads just like this one in a year(or years) to come.
As for "Will it be around?", as Darlene said - No one can predict the future, but I personally do believe that if they wish to have any hope of sticking around, as it is, then a lot of specific issues holding Graal back and digging it deeper into it's hole definitely need to be evaluated and reconstructed better. There are threads everywhere on this forum about what needs to change, so whether you agree with them or not, they're worth a look through *cough* Aimed@theDirectors *cough*