The season is six months because they want technicalities for deadlines. Things can ship in Season 2 up to the month of November.
It's pretty sad they fukked this up so hard. 343i needs to get dissolved.
EDIT: Just seen their original Season 2 targets would be outside the conventional Season 2 time frame of July. They actually did "extend" the season just to say things like networked coop shipped in Season 2.