Yeah GR had some legs to carry it all this way. Games these days do not.
I understand the feelings of "finding that special game" once again. You have to ask yourself Why were they special? I can tell you, simply they were innovative.
Games these days are not, just some variations of things that have already been done many times over like character views, weapon views, character animations, graphic effects, etc.....how many variatinos of third person views do we need?
I modded R6/UO and GR with the same great bunch of guys for years. Probably the longest running team of R6/GR fame.
I have not seen or played one title that has given me that itch to get back into it, with the exception of VBS1, sad really and that has a limited audiance.
ArmA should fit the bill for those die hards that long for big maps, unlimited possibilities in scripting, etc.....but not everyone is into that. We can continue to keep our fingers crossed for that groundbreaking title, but I fear those days are slipping away, due to pressure to develop games that appeal to younger audiances. It will be interesting to watch what the future holds.