You can always count on Nintendo for a surprise. This is the company that followed the Game Boy with a strange dual-screened handheld and broke out of its GameCube slump with a console focused on motion controls. Its the company that lost its lead with the Wii U and then gambled on another innovation the portable hybrid known as the Switch to ultimately get back on top. All of those were big, risky swings that seemingly exemplified the companys playful, experimental ethos.The Switch 2, on the other hand, is a bigger, better Switch. Its kind of boring. But its also exactly the right move from Nintendo. At a time when people expect their games and experiences to carry over between devices, the old console paradigm of starting over with a new generation doesnt make a whole lot of sense. And since Nintendo hit a home run with the original Switch, it has the runway to be a little bit boring this time.Todays reveal video didnt detail a whole lot about the Switch 2 in terms of specs, but there are still some clear improvements over the original, like the bigger display (though we dont know the exact screen size) and redesigned Joy-Con controllers. More details are coming at an event in April.RelatedIt seems like a series of notable upgrades, potentially worthy of being a long-awaited follow-up to one of the bestselling consoles of all time. At the same time, these changes dont fundamentally alter the Switch experience. The Switch 2 is still a tablet with detachable controllers, one you can either play as a portable or connect to your TV for a more console-like experience. It still plays (most of) your old Switch games, and your Switch Online subscription will carry over between devices.The original Switch. Photo by James Bareham / The VergeReally, the form factor of the Switch didnt need changing. Its clear consumers loved it; Nintendo has sold more than 146 million of them, as the Switch inches closer to toppling the DS as the companys bestselling piece of hardware. Its flexible in a way that made sense for a large group of people, and it helped spearhead a renewed interest in portable gaming, one that is now taking the PC world by storm. Even Microsoft and Sony are tentatively getting into the space. And by merging its portable and console development teams, Nintendo was able to focus on a single device and greatly improve the cadence of new releases. Over its eight years of existence, the Switch had surprisingly few lulls between major new games.Instead of being surprising, Nintendo decided to be sensibleSo instead of being surprising, Nintendo decided to be sensible. The Switch is what many people have been asking for for years: the same form factor, but more adept technically. No weird gimmicks, no sense of starting over with a new system. Its a continuation of a thing thats already working well.Its important to note that this doesnt mean Nintendo is done being weird. Just because its main device is a straightforward follow-up to the Switch doesnt eliminate the possibility of experimentation. You only need to look at initiatives like Labo and Alarmo to see that Nintendos playful streak is still going strong. Whats crucial about those projects is that Nintendos business doesnt hinge on them. A weird collection of cardboard accessories has the potential to be a hit, but if it isnt, its not a huge loss. The same cant be said for a major twist on a home console Nintendo hopes to sell for the next decade.Nintendo Labo. Photo by James Bareham / The VergeThe safeness of the Switch 2 points to where Nintendo is at as a company right now. As it attempts to grow into an entertainment empire that extends beyond just gaming, it has had to find a balance between reaching that wider audience and maintaining its inventive side. The original Super Mario Bros. movie from 1993 was a live-action fever dream, whereas the billion-dollar animated film was a safe bet made with the proven team at Minions studio Illumination. Its still Nintendo, but nowhere near as risky.On paper, its the right moveThe name itself is another sign of the overall maturing of Nintendo. Unlike the confusion of the Wii U, or the ongoing debate over what an Xbox is, the Switch 2 is immediately easy to understand. Its that thing you like, only better. Nintendo may have given up competing with the other console makers on a technical level, but it has taken a page from Sonys playbook. Its not always a smooth transition between PlayStations, but at least you always know what youre in for. Now the same is true for Nintendo.Maintaining that balance between risk and safety will be the key for Nintendo in this next generation. We already know that the Switch is a good device, and soon well have a better version. On paper, its the right move. The trick is keeping that sense of continuity without losing what makes Nintendo so special in the first place. If it doesnt keep being weird and surprising and idiosyncratic, all youre left with is just another tablet.