How to get Safari Balls in Pokémon Go
Do Go Safari Balls expire?
Safari Balls are a new type of Poké Ball exclusive to the Go Wild 2024: Global event running on Saturday 23rd November and Sunday 24th November in Pokémon Go.
Go Safari Balls, because of course Pokémon Go has to find a way to include 'Go' in everything, are more effective at catching Pokémon compared to the other brands of Poké Ball. (Well aside from Master Balls, but they're a completely different beast.) This makes them perfect for catching the Mighty Pokémon appearing throughout Go Wild 2024: Global. There is a catch though - rumour has it Safari Balls can expire…
Don't worry though, we're here to help you learn how to get Safari Balls in Pokémon Go, whether Safari Balls expire and what exactly Go Safari Balls are.
On this page:
How to get Safari Balls in Pokémon Go
There are two ways you can get Safari Balls for free during the Go Wild 2024: Global event in Pokémon Go. The first is by completing the Timed Research task you'll receive when you first log into the event, which will reward you with a small amount of Safari Balls. The second is to spin PokéStops, but, since this method all comes down to luck, you may not always get a Safari Ball.
Though, if you're prepared to drop some cash, there are a couple of other ways you can earn Safari Balls.
The first is by purchasing a Go Wild Area 2024: Global ticket for £11.99, $11.99 or the equivalent pricing in your local currency. Doing so will see you receiving a Timed Research task which rewards Safari Balls every hour. Just make sure you complete it and collect the rewards within this hour though or else both will vanish forever.
If you don't fancy purchasing a full ticket to the event, but still want some extra Safari Balls then you can also buy the Go Safari Ball: Extra Access Ticket for £1.99, $2 or the equivalent price in your local currency. This will also grant you access to additional hourly Timed Research tasks, with each one rewarding you with four Safari Balls. (Though again, you must complete these tasks before that hourly time limit is up!)
This ticket can be combined with your Wild Area 2024: Global ticket to grant you two Safari Ball Timed Research tasks per hour.
It's also important to note that the Go Safari Ball: Extra Access Ticket can only be published here on the Pokémon Go web store, so, if you fancy it, then it's worth buying before you head out to play Pokémon Go. Neither tickets can be purchased using Poké Coin nor are nonrefundable.
But, before you start throwing Safari Balls at Pokémon, there's an important fact to consider…
The Max Out Season is here. The new global event, Wild Area, is nearly here and In the Wild is our lead-up event, which includes the global release of Toxel. You can now catch Dynamax Pokémon through Max Battles. First, however, you need to visit Power Spots to collect Max Particles and complete the To the Max! quest. Don't forget to try out Routes, Gift Exchange and Party Play while you're hunting down rare Pokémon, fighting in the Go Battle League or competing in PokéStop Showcases.
Do Safari Balls expire in Pokémon Go?
Yes, Safari Balls do expire in Pokémon Go. Any spare Safari Balls you have will expire from your inventory at 6:15pm (local time) at the end of each Go Wild Area 2024: Global event day - either Saturday 23rd November and Sunday 24th November.
This means that Safari Balls do not overlap between event days. If you've been playing Pokémon Go on Saturday, you'll instead have to start collecting Safari Balls all over again Sunday morning.
For this reason, it's a good idea to spend the last hour and 15 minutes of the event (5pm to 6:15pm local time on both days) using up any spare Safari Balls you might have. Best to get your money's worth after all! An ideal Safari Ball target are the Mighty Pokémon appearing throughout the Wild Area event hours or the Galarian Legendary Birds who have a chance of spawning when you're using Daily Adventure Incense.
Remember - use your Safari Balls before it's too late! They will vanish at 6:15pm (local time) on both Saturday and Sunday!
What are GO Safari Balls in Pokémon Go?
Go Safari Balls are the Pokémon Go version of the classic Poké Ball you receive upon entering any Safari Zone in a mainline Pokémon game. Decorated with a camouflage pattern, these Poké Balls have 'GO' printed on their sides in big white letters to help you remember which game you're playing.
As we mentioned above, Safari Balls are highly effective at catching Pokémon. This makes them perfect for catching any Mighty Pokémon you might encounter. The downside is, again like we said above, that they expire.
Though, when you think about it, this expiration date is oddly fitting for Safari Balls.In the many of the mainline games where the zones made an appearance, you could be kicked out of the area after taking a certain number of steps. The fact that Pokémon in Safari Zones had to be caught without battling them, simply tossing Safari Balls, treats and stones (yes, stones), also matches up well with Pokémon Go's gameplay. (Well, apart from the stones but I guess a good number of people have tossed their phones because of this game.)
At the time of writing, Safari Balls have only been available during the Fukuoka, Japan and Global Wild Area 2024 events. We wouldn't be surprised to see them return during other in-person Pokémon Go events.
Best of luck using Safari Balls during the Wild Area 2024: Global event!