A method for cloud gaming. The method including generating a video frame when executing a video game at a server. The method including performing a scan-out process by scanning the video frame scanline-by-scanline and one or more user interface features scanline-by-scanline to one or more input frame buffers, and compositing and blending the video frame and the one or more user interface features into a modified video frame. The method including scanning in the scan-out process the modified video frame to an encoder at the server scanline-by-scanline. The method including beginning in the scan-out process scanning the video frame and the one or more user interface features to the one or more input frame buffers at a corresponding flip-time for the video frame.