The funny thing is that that sounds exactly like most modern MMOs.
It's nice to know that decades of experience amongst game designers has led us round in a complete circle but hey, it works, people enjoy it so I guess that's why. Personally though I can't help but think there is room for more interesting, more complex team-based puzzles in games, but I guess games like WoW particularly have to satisfy the lowest common denominator.
This makes me think of a particular endeavor in Star Wars: Galaxies (prior to its demise at the hands of SOE). In order to accomplish a goal a large group of people would have to join forces to defend a single individual while he or she set about a task. It wss something deliberately designed to require cooperation amongst a faction. It wasn't a puzzle per se but a step in the direction you're describing.
Pretty sure Japan didn't invade Poland. China, Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands yes. Poland not so much.
Apparently you are suffering from dementia.
"Ninety percent of baseball is half mental." -- Yogi Berra