I think that some of you have underestimated how many fiends play this game. Long gone are the days where players are willing to accept that this game is 'real life'. Content that was created a decade ago should not still be relevant today! Things change, move on! If REM's come even close to fracture weapons, you will see only REM's for shouts. Anyone with a fracture or crafted weapon will be fail, and you will be left out.
Let's think about this. Relic weapons have a hidden affect that add 2-3 times the damage to regular hits that proc 13% of the time or greater. All relics have an added affect which proc at a decent rate. Most of them have as good or better weapon skills than the ones in which you can unlock by merits. Most have either a significant accuracy or attack boost. So, now SE is going to boost the base damage to match fracture weapons AND super boost their attack and accuracy too to stay competitive?! Yes, it will be REM only and if you do not have one maxed out you will be excluded from events and told to go home. Not only that, but it will kill new content and make old content even more boring than it already is.
What will we get to look forward to? We get to fight over mobs in crowded dynamis areas again! We get to fight RMT's hoarding Abby mobs! We get to spend hours spamming an instanced area because it is full! What FFXI needs is new content, not revamps of outdated equipment.