How do game developers use procedural generation to create expansive and varied game worlds, and what are the benefits and challenges of this approach?

Procedural generation uses algorithms to automatically create game content such as levels, maps, and items. This approach can create expansive and varied game worlds with less manual effort, increasing replayability and reducing development time. Benefits include scalability and uniqueness in each playthrough. Challenges involve ensuring the generated content is coherent, balanced, and free of bugs, which requires sophisticated algorithms and extensive testing.